am 


MISS   PRITCHARD'S 
WEDDING  TRIP 


BY 


CLARA  LOUISE   BURNHAM 


NEW  YORK 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT,  IQOI,  BY  CLARA  LOUISE   BURNHAM 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


To  M.  D. 


THIS    BOOK    IS    INSCRIBED 
WITH    HAPPY    MEMORIES 


CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  THE  PRELUDE 1 

II  ENGLAND 20 

III.  WALES 45 

IV.  WlNDERMERE 69 

V.  SCOTLAND 83 

VI.  BY  LAND  AND  SEA 105 

VII.  CANNES 120 

VIII.  REMINISCENCES 140 

IX.  THE  CARNIVAL 162 

X.  ROME 177 

XI.  EDWINA'S  PROMISE 188 

XII.  THE  CATACOMBS 205 

XIII.  THE  COLOSSEUM 219 

XIV.  THE  POPE 240 

XV.  THE  BLUE  GROTTO 251 

XVI.  FLYING  TRIPS 271 

XVII.  FAREWELL  TO  ITALY 290 

XVIII.  THE  PASSION  PLAY 300 

XIX.  SWITZERLAND 323 

XX.  THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN 340 

XXI.  THE  OPAL  DAY  .                                                .  355 


MISS  PRITCHARD'S  WEDDING   TRIP 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   PRELUDE 

IF  Eunice  Pritehard  had  not  been  "  disap* 
pointed  "  in  the  sixties,  it  is  improbable  that  her 
young  cousin  Edwina  would  have  gone  to  Europe 
in  the  nineties.  There  are  many  ways  in  which  a 
man  may  woo  a  maid  without  committing  himself ; 
but  in  the  nocturnal  musing  during  which  for  years 
Eunice  continued  to  rehearse  the  circumstances  of 
her  own  heart's  surrender,  her  honesty  compelled 
her  to  recognize  that  it  had  yielded  to  little  wooing. 
A  nonchalant,  graceful  acceptance  of  her  interest 
in  his  hopes  and  fears  had  constituted  Edwin 
Wilder's  attentions,  when  she  sifted  the  substance 
of  his  constant  visits,  and  only  her  wish  had  been 
father  to  the  thought  and  growing  belief  that  sho 
was  necessary  to  him. 

How  many  an  hour  she  had  sat  in  the  corner  of 
her  sofa  while  he  restlessly  paced  the  floor  and 
poured  out  his  perplexities  or  his  schemes,  and  had 
felt  repaid  when  the  restless  glance  of  his  fine  eyes 
concentrated  upon  her,  admiring  of  some  comfort- 


2  MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

ing  suggestion.  Sometimes  he  threw  himself  be- 
side her  on  the  lounge,  and  his  voice  became  caress- 
ing as  he  said  :  "  Little  Reliable,  there  's  nobody 
like  you."  Then  the  waves  of  his  blond  head 
came  near,  and  she  would  have  given  years  of  her 
life  —  this  stiff,  demure  New  England  girl  —  to 
have  laid  her  slight  hand  once  on  those  waves  of 
thick  hair  above  his  forehead. 

At  such  a  moment  her  heart  would  bound. 
Surely  now  he  would  speak.  He  had  leaned  on 
her  so  long,  and  her  mother  expected  it,  and  the 
neighbors  expected  it,  and  she  so  craved  the  right 
to  call  him  hers  openly,  as  for  the  last  year  of  their 
friendship  she  had  done  to  her  own  heart ;  but 
instead  of  speaking,  one  day  he  left  Salem,  where 
they  lived,  for  a  business  trip,  squeezing  her  hand 
in  farewell,  but  talking  to  the  last  only  of  his  busi- 
ness venture. 

"  He  is  too  proud  to  marry  me  before  he  is  suc- 
cessful, because  I  shall  have  money,"  Eunice  told 
herself  for  the  hundredth  time. 

During  the  first  week  of  his  absence  she  had  re- 
ceived three  letters  from  him  ;  then  none  for  a 
month.  Then  the  news  came  that  he  was  engaged 
to  her  cousin  Alicia.  Eunice  had  asked  him  to 
call  upon  this  cousin  while  he  was  in  New  Yoi'k. 
The  happy  Alicia  wrote  her  an  effusive  letter  of 
thanks  for  sending  so  much  joy  into  her  life.  She 
said  Edwin  averred  that  if  he  was  good  for  any- 
thing, it  was  Little  Reliable  who  had  made  him  so. 
There  was  much  jubilant  dwelling  upon  Wilder's 


THE  PBELUDE  3 

personal  attractions,  and  an  underscored  wonder  as 
to  how  Eunice  could  have  been  with  him  so  much 
without  falling  a  prey  to  them.  Inclosed  in  the 
same  envelope  was  a  note  from  Wilder  himself, 
declaring  again  the  debt  he  owed  to  Eunice's 
'influence,  and  to  the  platonic  affection  that  had 
Jubsisted  between  them. 

In  the  paralysis  of  her  bitter,  chilling  grief,  the 
deserted  girl  ignored  her  cousin's  letter  altogether, 
and  to  Wilder  she  wrote  as  follows  :  — 

DEAR  NED,  —  I  wish  you  and  Alicia  happiness. 
If  I  can  ever  do  anything  for  you,  I  am  sure  you 
will  ask  it,  and  equally  sure  that  I  shall  grant  it. 
Sincerely  yours, 

EUNICE  PRITCHARD. 

"  That  sounds  exactly  like  her,"  remarked 
Wilder  when  he  read  it.  "  Not  much  sentiment 
about  Little  Reliable." 

"  I  was  evidently  too  gushing  to  be  noticed  at 
all,"  responded  Alicia,  and  they  exchanged  a  smil- 
ing gaze.  They  could  both  do  without  Eunice, 
who  for  weeks  groped  in  that  outer  cold  and  dark- 
ness where  all  blossoming  things  die  for  lack  of 
the  sun.  She  had  placed  her  every  possession  of 
heart  and  mind  in  the  keeping  of  one  being,  and, 
he  having  tossed  them  aside,  she  was  left  bankrupt. 
Her  course  now  had  to  be  that  of  other  bankrupts. 
She  saw  that  she  must  begin  life  again,  and  she  did 
so,  devoting  herself  assiduously  to  her  invalid 


4  MISS  PBITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

mother,  whose  failing  state  furnished  a  reason  for 
the  great  stillness  that  had  fallen  upon  the  daugh- 
ter, and  gave  the  gossips  tantalizing  doubts  as  to 
whether  the  facts  of  Edwin  Wilder's  going  to 
settle  in  New  York  and  failure  to  take  Eunice  with 
him  had  brought  that  new  expression  into  her 
face. 

"Eunice  Pritchard  has  been  a  real  good 
daughter,"  was  the  general  verdict  when  the  young 
woman  was  at  last  an  orphan.  She  was  left  in 
possession  of  so  comfortable  an  independence  that 
the  next  wonder  was  as  to  who  would  be  the  man, 
thrifty  enough  not  to  run  after  a  pretty  face,  as 
Edwin  Wilder  had  done,  but  to  take  Eunice  with 
her  spare  form,  thin  cheeks,  and  snug  fortune.  A 
widower  with  an  interestingly  assorted  family 
offered  himself  to  her  speedily,  and  as  if  this 
circumstance  clinched  Miss  Pritchard's  growing 
distaste  for  surroundings  that  held  for  her  such 
poignant  associations,  she  suddenly  packed  her 
belongings  and  left  Salem  for  Boston,  taking  her 
church  letter  with  her. 

This  looked  like  permanency.  Eunice  meant  it 
so.  She  took  a  little  apartment  in  Boston  and 
settled  down.  Had  all  this  happened  at  the  present 
day,  she  might  have  studied  medicine  or  read  law  ; 
but  it  was  in  the  sixties,  and  so  she  went  to  sewing 
society,  and  to  lectures  and  concerts,  and  made  no 
friends  outside  her  church,  and  passed  for  a  placid, 
well-balanced  woman  who  found  no  fault  with  her 
narrow,  colorless  path  in  life. 


THE  PRELUDE  5 

"  Is  n't  she  a  typical  old  maid  ?  "  the  girls  in 
the  church  used  to  say  sometimes  to  one  another, 
and  smile  at  this  woman,  whose  hopes  and  dreams 
and  possibilities  had  been  as  high,  and  more  tender 
and  thrilling  perhaps,  than  any  of  which  they  were 
capable.  And  Eunice  lived  on.  The  wonder  is 
that  the  monotonous  days,  weeks,  months,  years 
did  not  shrivel  her  mentally  ;  but  made  her  more 
kindly,  —  more  outgoing  to  the  sad  and  the  needy. 

A  gentle  resignation  had  succeeded  to  the  blight- 
ing sorrow  of  her  loss.  She  long  rehearsed,  as  in 
the  days  of  her  youth,  the  one  gladdest  time  of  her 
life,  and  her  clear  mental  vision  told  her  that  the 
man  she  loved  had  never  shown  her  one  unselfish 
act.  Self-centred  even  when  kindest  to  her,  accept- 
ing all  she  had  to  give,  seeking  her  because  in  her 
eyes  more  clearly  than  anywhere  else  he  could  see 
a  flattering  reflection  of  himself,  she  knew  that  he 
had  never  for  one  moment  taken  her  standpoint  or 
considered  her.  Hundreds  of  times  she  argued 
this  out.  Hundreds  of  times  she  told  herself  that 
no  noble  woman  would  love  such  a  character  ;  and 
having  reasoned  herself  unanswerably  into  a  posi- 
tion where  it  was  logically  proven  that  the  man 
she  loved  was  not  Edwin  Wilder  at  all,  back  would 
roll  the  towering  wave  of  feeling,  submerging  that 
fabric  of  the  intellect,  and  carrying  away  poor 
Eunice's  weighty  reasons  like  wisps  of  straw  borne 
on  a  mountain  torrent.  "  Ned,  my  Ned  !  I  love 
him  !  "  her  heart  cried  out.  So  because  she  loved 
him  she  never  saw  him,  though  he  and  his  wife 


6  MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

sent  for  her  from  time  to  time.  She  did  not 
attempt  to  conceal  that  she  avoided  them.  They 
might  explain  it  as  they  liked.  For  her  Ned 
Wilder  still  tossed  two  yellow-brown  waves  of 
thick  hair  above  his  forehead,  though  her  own  was 
whitening  fast.  One  of  his  strong  teeth  overlapped 
its  neighbor  at  the  right  side  ;  he  still  had  the  gay 
smile  of  youth,  and  not  a  wrinkle,  although  she 
observed  the  faint  lines  in  her  own  face  without 
regret.  To  think  about  him  was  pain  since  it  had 
become  a  sin,  and  as  the  years  rolled  on  she  fought 
the  temptation  to  weakening  repining  and  con- 
quered ;  but  though,  as  her  servant  Miranda  said 
and  believed,  "  there  was  n't  a  comf ortabler  person 
in  the  land  than  Miss  Eunice,"  nothing  occurred 
to  light  a  rosy  flame  again  in  the  lamp  of  her  life 
until  the  time  when  she  had  passed  fifty  years  of 
age,  and  then  it  was  Edwin  Wilder's  hand  which 
lighted  it. 

At  first  she  did  not  recognize  what  it  was  that 
had  come  to  her,  nor  see  the  flush  of  color  on  the 
gray  horizon  that  was  to  grow,  and  spread,  and 
woo  into  bud  and  blossom  her  long-withered  fields. 
To  all  weary,  hungering  hearts  the  good  time  will 
come,  but  Eunice  was  to  taste  it  in  this  world,  and 
the  herald  of  its  approach  was  this  letter :  — 

DEAR  LITTLE  RELIABLE,  —  I  remember  that  I 
wrote  you  last  when  our  youngest  child  was  born. 
Seven  years  afterward  poor  Alicia  died.  I  have 
wondered  if  you  knew.  I  address  you  now  because 


THE  PRELUDE  1 

the  doctor  says  I  have  n't  much  time  left.  The 
news  was  nearly  my  death,  on  account  of  Edwina. 
She  will  be  as  lonely  a  child  as  can  be  found  when 
I  am  gone.  I  should  like  to  write  much  in  explana- 
tion, but  strength  fails  me.  She  won't  be  penniless, 
yet  I  am  leaving  her  little.  She  is  the  only  one  of 
our  children  that  lived.  Better  for  her  if  she  had 
not.  Things  have  gone  against  me  always.  I 
turn  to  you  in  trouble  as  naturally  as  I  did  twenty- 
five  years  ago.  It 's  a  chance  if  you  will  help  me, 
but  you  promised  when  you  turned  me  over  to 
Alicia.  Poor  Alicia !  She  was  a  good  girl,  and 
she  was  happy.  Strength 's  up. 

NED. 

Miss  Pritchard,  without  a  moment's  hesitation, 
wrote  the  following  reply  :  — 

DEAR  NED,  —  I  did  n't  know  Alicia  had  gone. 
I  had  no  idea  you  were  ill  or  in  trouble.  Every- 
thing that  an  ignorant  woman  can  do  for  your 
daughter  I  will  do.  Whether  she  be  penniless  or 
an  heiress,  amiable  or  ill-natured,  plain  or  pretty, 
it  is  enough  for  me  that  she  is  your  child.  Rest 
assured  she  shall  be  my  first  care  so  long  as  I  live. 
When  do  you  wish  me  to  take  her  ?  What  else 
can  I  do  for  you  ? 

Yours,  EUNICE. 

What  the  effect  of  this  message  was,  the  writer 
of  it  could  only  guess,  and  the  guessing  flooded 


8  MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

her  heart  with  memories  and  her  eyes  with  tears, 
for  one  day  Edwin's  ring  came  to  her;  his  mother's 
ring,  the  one  she  remembered  so  well  upon  his  hand 
that  it  was  like  a  familiar  beloved  feature.  With 
it  came  a  letter  from  the  physician  saying  that  all 
was  over  ;  that  Mr.  Wilder  had  asked  him  to  send 
the  ring,  and  that  the  little  girl  would  come  to 
her  on  the  following  Wednesday.  Miss  Pritchard 
could  neither  eat  nor  sleep  during  the  days  that 
intervened,  and  when  Wednesday  came,  by  a  mis- 
understanding about  the  train  she  missed  her  little 
guest  at  the  depot.  One  of  Wilder's  friends  had 
brought  the  child  from  New  York,  and  this  man, 
being  assured  by  Miranda  that  Miss  Pritchard 
would  at  once  return  to  the  apartment,  left  his 
charge  alone  in  the  small  parlor,  and  there  Eunice 
found  her  sitting  patiently,  her  hat  off,  and  her 
little  feet  hanging  some  inches  from  the  floor. 

The  two  looked  at  each  other  eagerly  as  Miss 
Pritchard  stood  in  the  doorway,  faint  from  haste 
and  excitement.  The  child  smiled  questioningly, 
—  a  smile  that  showed  one  tooth  overlapping  its 
neighbor.  Above  her  forehead,  where  the  hair  was 
brushed  back,  it  rose  in  two  rebellious,  shining 
waves.  Her  eyes  were  brown  and  clear.  Such 
overwhelming  emotion  swept  over  the  woman  at 
the  marvelous  resemblance  that  for  a  minute  she 
could  not  speak.  Her  guest  broke  the  silence. 
"  I  'm  waiting  for  my  cousin  Eunice,"  she  said. 

"  Yes.  Excuse  me.  I  'm  only  out  of  breath. 
I  'm  very  glad  to  see  you,  my  dear."  Eunice 


THE  PRELUDE  9 

crossed  to  the  child  and  took  her  little  hand,  look- 
ing down  at  her  with  yearning.  She  did  not  know 
what  to  do.  It  was  long  since  she  had  kissed  any 
one.  She  could  not  summon  courage  to  kiss  this 
living  miniature  of  Edwin  Wilder  ;  but  she  laid 
her  other  hand  on  those  two  thick  waves  of  hair 
with  such  delicate,  loving  pressure  that  Edwina's 
upraised  glance  hesitated. 

"  But  you  are  n't  —  you  are  n't  "  —  she  began. 

"  Cousin  Eunice  ?    Yes.    What  is  it,  Edwina?  " 

The  child  looked  embarrassed.  "  Nothing,  only 
papa  made  such  a  —  a  funny  mistake.  He  said 
your  hair  was  auburn.  Auburn  does  n't  mean 
white,  does  it  ?  " 

Eunice's  eyes  filled  again,  and  she  stooped  with 
a  sudden  gesture  so  that  the  two  faces  were  on  a 
level.  "  Papa  forgot  that  I  have  been  growing 
old  all  this  time,"  she  said  gently,  and  something 
in  her  smile  and  tone  affected  the  small  listener 
like  a  tender  caress. 

Edwina  threw  her  arms  around  the  slender  neck 
and  clung  there.  "  I  'm  all  alone,"  she  said. 
"  Papa  told  me  you  were  the  dearest  woman  in  the 
world,  and  you  would  take  care  of  me,  and  I  am 
going  to  love  you  as  much  as  he  did."  Then  the 
living  miniature  of  the  man  who  had  broken 
Eunice's  heart  began  the  work  of  reparation  in 
the  best  way,  by  kissing  her  fervently,  feeling  with 
a  little  child's  intuition  that  no  love  she  had  lost 
exceeded  this  new  affection  into  which  she  had 
come,  and  not  questioning  why  it  should  be  so. 


10         MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

From  that  day  Miss  Pritchard  commenced  to 
live.  At  first  her  prayers  were  divided.  Half  of 
them  were  expressing  thanks  to  God  for  his  mer- 
cies, and  the  other  half  beseeching  Him  to  preserve 
her  from  idolatry.  These  last  arose  from  a  fear 
lest  she  spent  too  much  time  watching  Edwina  in 
her  sleep  when  she  should  have  been  sleeping  her- 
self. She  often  dwelt  upon  what  she  had  escaped. 
Ned's  child  might  have  resembled  her  mother  and 
have  been  named  Alicia.  Eunice  assured  herself 
that  had  it  been  so,  she  should  have  taken  her  just 
the  same  and  done  her  duty  by  her. 

One  day,  when  Edwina  had  been  with  her  a  fort- 
night, the  two  sat  sewing  together.  It  was  one  of 
Miss  Pritchard's  theories  that  the  child  must  be 
taught  early  to  sew,  as  she  herself  had  been  ;  but 
not  to  allow  her  to  feel  the  irksomeness  of  long 
seams,  she  cut  out  doll's  clothes,  which  Edwina 
made  under  her  eye. 

"  Cousin  Eunice,  do  you  think  Edwina  is  a  silly, 
made-up  name  ?  It  sounds  just  as  natural  to  me," 
said  the  little  girl,  puckering  her  lips  over  the  in- 
tricacies of  a  tiny  red  skirt.  "  Miranda  says  it 's 
silly."  Miranda,  being  elderly  and  "  set,"  was  not 
yet  adjusted  to  the  astonishing  new  element  that 
had  entered  into  the  household. 

"  It  is  an  unusual  name,  but  of  course  given  you 
for  your  father." 

"  Yes.  Papa  kept  hoping  for  a  boy  and  kept 
not  having  one,  so  mamma  named  me  Edwina  to 
comfort  him."  The  little  girl  knotted  her  thread. 
"  But  papa  called  me  Ned,  'most  always." 


THE  PRELUDE  11 

"  He  did  what,  my  dear  ?  " 

"  He  called  me  Ned,  except  when  he  felt  bad. 
He  said  that  is  what  you  always  called  him." 

Miss  Pritchard  was  silent  an  instant.  "  When 
did  he  tell  you  that  ?  " 

"  A  little  while  before  —  before  he  went  away," 
answered  the  child  in  the  hushed  voice  she  always 
used  in  referring  to  her  father's  death.  "  Those 
last  two  days  he  talked  about  you  all  the  time 
when  he  was  n't  too  tired,  because  I  was  coming 
here,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  dear.  Edwina,"  after  a  minute,  "  did 
your  mother  call  your  father  Ned  ?  " 

"  No,  she  always  called  him  Edwin." 

Miss  Pritchard  quickly  put  out  her  hand  and 
rested  it  on  the  child's  wavy  head.  Edwina  had 
already  come  to  associate  this  caress  with  very 
high  approval.  At  present,  she  was  considerably 
mystified  to  know  what  she  had  done  to  merit  it. 

"  Cousin  Eunice,"  she  said  timidly,  emboldened 
to  ask  a  question  often  on  the  tip  of  her  tongue, 
"  is  n't  that  papa's  ring  that  you  wear  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Edwina.     It  was  your  grandmother's." 

"  I  know.  He  told  me  so.  He  never  would  let 
even  mamma  wear  it.  Papa  must  have  loved  you 
the  best  of  all  his  cousins." 

Eunice  sewed  fast  and  silently.  She  had 
learned  already  that  all  Edwina  knew  of  her  had 
been  poured  into  the  little  mind  in  those  last 
hours  of  her  father's  life. 

"  I  was  n't  his  cousin,  dear,"  she  said.  "  I  was 
your  mother's  cousin." 


12         MISS  PBITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Then  it 's  queer  that  you  and  papa  "  —  Ed- 
wina's  quick,  clear  glance  fell,  and  she  blushed 
without  knowing  exactly  why. 

"  That  was  n't  the  way  your  father  loved  me. 
Your  mother  was  very  pretty,  and  so  he  married 
her." 

"  He  loved  you  very  hard,  though,"  and  the 
little  girl  shook  her  head,  "  or  he  would  n't  have 
given  you  his  most  precious  thing."  She  meant 
the  ring,  but  Eunice  looked  at  her  bent  head  with 
a  mental  "  Amen." 

"  Mamma  was  sick  nearly  all  the  time,  but  my 
picture  of  her  is  pretty.  Do  you  think  I  look  like 
her,  cousin  Eunice  ?  " 

"Not  at  all.     You  are  like  your  father." 

"  Then  I  must  have  looked  more  like  him  when 
I  was  a  baby."  The  little  girl  glanced  up  with  a 
mischievous  twinkle.  "  I  was  bald  then." 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"  Papa  was  bald,  you  see." 

"  Put  —  put  away  your  sewing,  Edwina !  "  Miss 
Pritchard's  voice  was  unsteady. 

"  Why,  what 's  the  matter  ?  "  faltered  the  child, 
astonished. 

"  You  must  n't  —  you  should  n't  —  looks  —  they 
should  n't  be  talked  about  —  do  not  matter.  Put 
on  your  hat  and  run  outdoors  a  while." 

It  was  now  that  Miss  Pritchard  rejoiced,  and 
gave  thanks  for  her  easy  circumstances.  The  small 
sum  that  in  time  was  to  be  Edwina's  she  did  not 
draw  upon.  It  should  be  kept,  not  for  the  girl's 


THE  PRELUDE  13 

dowry,  —  Eunice  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  that, 
—  but  for  a  rainy  day.  Ever  since  she  had  come 
to  Boston  to  live,  she  had  felt  her  own  ignorance. 
Every  lecture  she  had  attended,  every  book  she  read, 
heightened  her  wish  that  girls  had  been  better  ed- 
ucated in  her  young  days.  Edwina  must  go  to  the 
best  schools,  regardless  of  expense  ;  and  so  she  did. 
The  years  she  took  on  seemed  to  be  deducted  from 
Miss  Pritchard's  account,  so  that  Miranda  often 
soliloquized  in  the  kitchen  on  the  subject. 

"  Hen  with  one  chicken  's  nothin'  to  it,  nothin'. 
I  never  see  a  person  so  changed  as  Miss  Eunice. 
Got  so  interested  in  everything  and  so  chipper, 
she  '11  be  goin'  to  school  herself  'fore  she  gets 
through."  But  though  Miranda's  tone  was  a  grum- 
ble, she  approved.  No  one  could  help  approving 
the  change  made  in  one  small  household  in  that 
decade  which  finished  Edwina's  schooling. 

"  Unless  you  take  some  advanced  course  "  —  said 
Miss  Pritchard.  "  You  shall  go  to  college,  if  you 
like."  She  said  this  to  the  girl  when  she  was  at 
home  on  her  last  Easter  vacation. 

Edwina  knew  heroic  unselfishness  prompted  the 
offer,  and  she  looked  up  from  the  letter  she  was 
opening.  "  I  'm  afraid  I  'm  not  much  of  a  stu- 
dent," she  replied. 

Miss  Pritchard  observed  her  thoughtfully,  and 
with  some  anxiety.  Edwina  had  for  many  years 
been  in  the  society  of  cultured,  refined,  wise  women. 
She  had  learned  much  from  them,  and  although  not 
the  creature  of  perfect  beauty  and  gifts  that  Eunice 


14         MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING  TRIP 

believed  her,  she  was  a  charming  girl :  healthy, 
graceful,  and  well  bred.  Her  teachers  had  formed 
her  mind  along  the  most  approved  lines,  and  much 
astonished  they  would  have  been  had  they  known 
in  what  way  Miss  Pritchard  supplemented  their 
efforts.  Her  instructions  to  Edwina  were  elemen- 
tary, but  fundamental,  and  the  girl  smiled  to  her- 
self over  the  conflicting  reports  concerning  the 
great  world  she  was  about  to  enter.  Her  teachers 
taught  their  pupils  that  if  true  marriage  was  added 
unto  them  when  all  the  books  were  conned,  the 
highest  end  of  their  lives  would  be  fulfilled. 
Cousin  Eunice  instilled  into  her,  line  upon  line  and 
precept  upon  precept,  that  all  men  were  profoundly 
selfish,  and  that  most  women  were  doomed  to  love 
them  without  reason  and  to  their  own  misery. 

Poor  Eunice's  ancestors  had  prayed  to  a  God  of 
vengeance,  and  she  being  haunted  by  the  text  con- 
cerning visiting  the  sins  of  the  fathers  upon  the 
children,  her  attitude  of  mind  was  a  strange  mix- 
ture of  grateful  acknowledgment  to  Providence  for 
the  priceless  gift  of  her  adored  child,  and  a  fierce 
watch  upon  the  Gi'eat  Power  in  order  to  outwit 
any  attempt  to  punish  Edwina  for  her  father's  self- 
ishness through  the  instrumentality  of  some  man 
who  should  play  with  her  feelings. 

This  ruling  thought  had  naturally  caused  Ed- 
wina's  bringing-up  to  be  a  strict  one.  Once  one 
of  her  companions  was  goaded  to  a  hurst  of  anger 
by  Miss  Pritchard's  refusal  to  allow  Edwina  to 
take  part  in  some  theatricals.  "  I  do  think  your 


THE  PE ELUDE  15 

cousin  is  too  old-maidish  and  particular  for  any- 
thing! I  pity  you,  Edwina  Wilder." 

"  You  need  n't !  "  returned  the  latter  stoutly. 
"If  cousin  Eunice  is  old-maidish,  then  it's  nice  to 
be  old-maidish  !  "  She  was  only  sixteen  then,  but 
she  retained  this  defense  of  her  cousin  all  her 
school-days,  and  her  loyalty  was  such  as  many  a 
mother  longs  in  vain  to  command.  As  she  grew 
older,  she  constructed  a  theory  concerning  the 
lover-like  affection  Miss  Pritchard  held  for  her. 
Eunice  was  certain  that  she  successfully  concealed 
her  overweening  admiration.  She  would  have 
thought  it  very  bad  for  her  child  to  suspect  it ; 
and  Edwina  laughed  at  her  little  subterfuges  as 
tenderly  as  she  did  at  her  provincialisms  of  speech, 
and  being  inches  taller  than  her  little  guardian, 
petted  her  and  was  grateful  to  her  in  a  manner 
which  caused  Eunice  to  shed  tears  of  sheer  joy 
sometimes  in  the  privacy  of  her  own  chamber. 

The  thorn  attached  to  her  rose  was  the  fact  of 
its  attractiveness.  At  the  first  relaxing  of  the  ten- 
sion of  school  life,  there  was  always  some  serpent 
in  the  form  of  a  man  trying  to  approach  its  fra- 
grance, —  succeeding  too  at  times,  for  Miss  Pritch- 
ard could  not  seclude  an  intelligent  girl  of  nearly 
twenty  from  all  society.  So  Eunice  set  her  teeth, 
and  went  to  concerts  with  him  and  to  theatres  with 
him.  She  sat  out  his  calls  and  endured  his  enjoy- 
ment of  her  treasure's  frank,  natural  words  and 
looks.  Sometimes  it  was  one  him  and  sometimes 
another  ;  but  she  had  no  faith  in  any  of  them. 


16         MISS  PEITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

Of  late  a  worse  thing  had  befallen.  On  this  spe- 
cial Easter  vacation  one  serpent  in  particular,  Glenn 
by  name,  had  seemed  to  Miss  Pritchard's  Argus- 
eyes  to  be  of  some  interest  to  Edwina.  It  was  the 
girl's  first  lapse  from  desirable  indifference,  and 
Eunice  had  marked  him  from  the  first  as  liable  to 
be  dangerous.  It  occurred  to  her  that  his  name 
often  obtruded  itself  into  the  conversation,  and  she 
knew  it  was  never  herself  who  introduced  it.  To 
her  kindled  suspicions  it  also  seemed  to  her  that  her 
darling  was  unusually  abstracted  in  these  vacation 
days. 

Like  the  woman  who  all  her  life  had  been  look- 
ing under  the  bed  for  a  burglar,  Miss  Pritchard 
believed  her  robber  had  at  last  arrived.  Her  mind 
once  set  in  that  direction,  not  Othello  himself  was 
more  prone  to  turn  trifles  light  as  air  into  confir- 
mation. Young  Glenn  admired  Edwina,  but  he 
did  not  call  oftener  than  others.  His  admiration 
was  the  light  fancy  of  a  man  of  fashion  for  one  of 
many  pretty  girls.  Yet  Edwina  had  begun  to  care 
for  him.  It  was  this  stunning  thought  that  caused 
Eunice  to  consider  college  for  Edwina  in  the  light 
of  an  easy  sacrifice.  Let  her  keep  her  child's  mind 
preoccupied,  safe  from  the  toils  of  the  enemy  until 
she  was  twenty-five,  and  all  might  be  well.  But, 
"  I  'm  afraid  I  'm  not  much  of  a  student,"  the  girl 
had  replied  to  her  offer.  Eunice's  sharpened  ears 
detected  a  novel  lack  of  interest  and  evasiveness  in 
this,  and  Edwina's  absorption  in  the  letter  she  had 
just  opened  gave  her  guardian  an  opportunity  to 
regard  her  with  a  troubled  gaze. 


THE  PRELUDE  17 

Suddenly  the  girl  began  to  laugh  over  her  read- 
ing. "  The  Hinckleys  are  having  such  a  funny 
time  in  France !  "  she  said. 

Little  did  Miss  Pritchard  care  just  then  about 
the  Hinckleys'  experiences. 

Edwina's  laugh  bubbled  forth  again.  "  It  's 
too  ridiculous  !  Listen  to  this.  You  know  Belle 
is  the  only  one  of  the  three  who  can  speak  French, 
but  her  sister  Fanny  manages  the  traveling;  so 
here  is  what  Belle  says :  '  You  can  imagine  me  be- 
ing the  mouthpiece  at  the  stations  when  we  go  to 
take  a  train.  We  never  find  a  man  who  speaks 
English,  and  the  trains  are  so  confusing.  Fanny 
is  always  telling  me  to  "  Ask  him  this,"  and  "  Ask 
him  that."  Yesterday,  mother  misunderstood  what 
we  wanted  to  do,  and  climbed  into  the  wrong  car- 
riage. Fanny  looked  at  her  in  desperate  silence 
for  a  second,  and  then  turned  to  me  and  said : 
"  Ask  her  to  get  out !  "  '  " 

Miss  Pritchard  smiled,  and  Edwina's  laugh 
drifted  into  a  wistful  sigh  as  she  finished  the  letter. 
"  They  're  having  such  a  good  time.  What  is  the 
use  of  my  French,  cousin  Eunice,  unless  we  go  to 
Europe  ?  " 

"  Well,  let 's  go,"  returned  the  other  impulsively. 
When  it  is  a  matter  of  life  or  death,  the  most 
cowardly  woman  will  take  a  daring  leap. 

Edwina's  eyes  dilated.  "  Wha  —  what !  "  she 
gasped. 

"  Of  course  we  could  n't,"  began  Miss  Pritchard, 
frightened. 


18         MISS  PRITCHARD'S  WEDDING  TRIP 

**  We  could !  we  could !  "  ejaculated  the  girl, 
dancing  over  to  her  cousin,  her  cheeks  rosy.  "  I 
did  n't  suppose  you  'd  ever  consent,  cousin  Eunice, 
but  indeed  we  could." 

"  My  dear  !  my  dear  !  Wait !  We  should  be 
perfect  babes  in  the  woods." 

"  Not  at  all,  and  I  'd  much  rather  have  it  than 
college." 

Edwina's  face  was  glowing,  and,  Miss  Pritch- 
ard's  intrepid  moment  having  passed,  she  was 
shrinking  in  every  limb.  "  Of  course,  if  you  could 
be  satisfied  with  California,"  she  said.  "  Just 
think  of  it,  Ned,  it 's  dry  land  all  the  way.  Really, 
I  was  joking,  you  know.  Europe  would  be  against 
my  better  judgment."  Her  tone  had  the  fervor  of 
panic,  and  the  vivacity  faded  from  Edwina's  face. 

"  I  'm  sure,"  she  returned,  "  you  could  n't  have 
heard  all  Mr.  Glenn  said  yesterday  about  his  trip 
two  years  ago  ;  but,"  with  a  quick  sigh,  "  I  '11 
never  go  without  you  except  —  on  my  wedding 
trip." 

Once  again  the  open  window  of  deliverance 
ceased  to  have  terrors  compared  to  those  which  the 
girl's  words  unconsciously  revived.  Miss  Eunice 
met  her  wistful  eyes  with  a  desperate  glance. 

"  California  is  beautiful,  Edwina,"  she  said  sol- 
emnly. "  Americans  don't  travel  enough  in  their 
own  country." 

"  We  can  do  that  when  we  're  old,"  returned  the 
girl,  something  in  her  cousin's  manner  revealing  to 
her  that  there  was  still  hope. 


THE  PRELUDE  19 

"  At  my  age,  Ned,"  — 

"  That's  just  what  I  say.  While  you  're  young 
is  the  time  for  us  to  do  it.  Mr.  Glenn  says  he 
wishes  "  — 

"  It  seems  foolish  to  think  of  such  a  thing,  and 
yet  if  you  are  so  anxious  "  — 

"  You  '11  overcome  your  fears  ?  "  joyously. 

"  It 's  not  a  question  of  fear,"  said  Eunice  tartly, 
showing  temper  as  many  a  gentle  creature  does  at 
bay.  "  It  's  my  better  judgment  that  's  against 
it." 

"  Overcome  your  better  judgment  then,  dear," 
said  Edwina  exultingly,  "  and  we  '11  sail  in  June 
and  be  in  time  to  see  the  Queen's  drawing-room  — 
from  the  outside,  of  course,  —  yes,  from  the  out- 
side. Don't  look  as  if  the  stake  fires  were  about 
to  be  lighted.  She  should  n't  be  presented  to  the 
Queen,  no  she  should  n't !"  and  the  girl's  merry 
eyes  looked  down  into  Eunice's  as  with  one  arm 
around  her  she  stroked  her  hair  and  charmed  away 
the  martyred  expression. 

"  It 's  against  my  better  judgment,  though,  Ned," 
groaned  the  little  woman. 


CHAPTER  H 

ENGLAND 

Miss  PRITCHARD  and  her  better  judgment  were 
on  excellent  terms  for  a  few  hours  sailing  down  the 
harbor  away  from  the  Statue  of  Liberty  whose  up- 
lifted torch  seemed  cheering  her  on  toward  a  for- 
eign shore.  No  one  in  that  far  country  would  send 
Edwina  roses  like  those  now  incumbering  their 
stateroom.  Ralph  Glenn  had  managed  to  see  his 
friends  off.  "  Managed  "  was  the  word  Eunice 
silently  employed,  though  most  plausible  was  the 
errand  which  the  young  man  declared  had  happened 
luckily  to  compel  him  to  come  to  New  York  that 
week.  At  any  rate,  now  there  was  an  end  of  him, 
—  unless  some  words  of  his  lingered  in  that  pile 
of  steamer  letters  in  which  Edwina  was  smilingly 
buried.  There  were  days  to  come,  however,  and 
nights  —  especially  nights,  for  Eunice  was  a  light 
sleeper  —  when  that  better  judgment,  like  an  ac- 
cusing spirit,  sat  at  her  elbow  and  chanted,  "  I  told 
you  so,"  with  the  most  depressing  monotony. 

"  It  is  so  lucky  that  one  of  us  is  a  good  sailor," 
said  Edwina  brightly  on  the  third  day  out,  as  she 
assisted  Miss  Pritchard  over  the  mountains  and 
vales  of  the  heaving  deck  toward  the  haven  of  that 
lady's  steamer  chair. 


ENGLAND  21 

"  I  wish  it  were  I,  then,"  retorted  Eunice  with 
feeble  asperity. 

"  So  do  I,  dear,"  sympathetically. 

"  Fiddlesticks  !  that 's  because  you  don't  know  ! " 
Miss  Pritchard  groaned  as  she  settled  flaccidly  into 
her  outspread  rug  and  back  against  a  down  pillow, 
while  Edwina  carefully  folded  the  rug  over  her. 
The  deck  steward  flew  to  their  assistance.  His 
eyes  were  always  quick  to  see  when  Edwina  could 
be  served.  He  picked  up  Miss  Pritchard's  feet 
rather  suddenly  to  swathe  them,  and  she  scowled  at 
him.  Edwina  tried  to  scowl,  too,  as  well  as  she 
could  with  the  blue  waves  leaping  and  the  porpoises 
springing  in  twos  and  threes  in  a  graceful  arch  from 
the  sunny  flood. 

"  Steward,  this  is  a  very  noisy  boat,"  she  said 
accusingly.  "  My  poor  cousin  scarcely  slept  at  all 
last  night.  The  people  talk  outside  her  window 
till  all  hours." 

"  Jus'  so,  miss.  So  they  do.  The  weather  's  so 
fine,  you  see,  miss." 

Edwina  had  to  assent  in  a  very  inmost  recess 
of  her  being,  where  cousin  Eunice  should  n't  detect 
a  glimmer  of  it  through  the  windows  of  her  soul. 
She  should  like  to  sit  up  till  all  hours  herself  in 
the  short,  starry  night. 

"  And  then  they  begin  washing  the  decks  at 
such  an  unearthly  hour,"  she  continued  severely. 
"  What  in  the  world  is  that  thing  they  drop  right 
over  cousin  Eunice's  —  I  mean  our  —  heads  be- 
fore five  o'clock  in  the  morning  ?  " 


22         MISS  PRITCHARD'S  WEDDING  TRIP 

"  Jus'  so,  miss.  That  would  be  the  'oly  stone, 
miss." 

The  girl's  curving  lips  twitched.  "  Holy  stone  ? 
Unholy  stone,  if  ever  there  was  one !  It 's  an  im- 
position !  "  more  severely  than  ever  after  one  glance 
at  Miss  Pritchard's  countenance.  "  They  should 
let  people  sleep  some  part  of  the  night." 

"  Jus'  so,  miss.  If  I  was  capting,  they  should. 
'E  could  give  horders,  don't  you  see,  w'erehas  I  'm 
only  one  of  the  common  'erd,  as  you  might  say, 
miss." 

The  man's  eyes  were  twinkling.  Perhaps,  as  in 
his  long  experience  he  had  seldom  seen  a  wind- 
kissed  face  more  evidently  blooming  with  health 
and  spirits  than  Edwina's,  he  understood  her 
position. 

Those  to  whom  Neptune's  poetry  of  motion  is  a 
hostile  exercise  can  appreciate  that  there  were 
moments  during  that  voyage  when  Miss  Pritchard 
did  not  care  if  she  never  again  laid  eyes  upon 
Edwina,  and  that  during  the  entire  trip  she  was 
totally  indifferent,  when  the  girl  was  absent  from 
her  sight,  as  to  whom  she  was  with  or  what  she 
was  doing.  At  last,  after  what  seemed  to  her  a 
long,  indefinite  nightmare,  in  which  unreasonably 
gay  couples  were  always  hastening  past  her  chair 
in  procession,  at  a  gait  employed  on  land  only  when 
one  is  late  for  a  train,  it  seemed  to  her,  she  came 
to  herself.  Her  head  felt  steady,  her  loathing  of 
life  in  general,  and  meal-hours  in  particular,  de- 
parted, and  she  looked  upon  Edwina  with  new  — 
or  rather,  the  old  —  eyes. 


ENGLAND  23 

"  I  guess  I  've  been  pretty  cross,  Ned,"  she  re- 
marked, the  evening  before  they  landed. 

"  It  is  very  seldom  any  one  is  so  wretched  all  the 
way  over,"  responded  the  girl. 

"  To  go  to  bed  in  a  watery  waste  night  after 
night,  to  get  up  morning  after  morning  still  swim- 
ming, and  lurching,  and  pitching, — it  's  a  good 
thing  I  did  n't  know  what  was  before  me." 

"  You  '11  forget  it  in  a  week ;  and  those  must 
be  the  lights  of  Dover  !  Oh,  cousin  Eunice  !  It 's 
England !  Think  of  it !  We  're  really  seeing 
England !  " 

"  H'm,"  dryly.  "  I  hope  you  '11  like  it,  for  I  can 
assure  you  you  Ve  cast  the  die,  Edwina.  I  shall 
never  take  this  trip  again." 

"  Really  ?  Well,  it  shan't  be  pneumonia  that 
prevents  you.  I  'm  going  to  get  your  fur  collar. 
It  is  too  cool  for  you  out  here." 

She  disappeared,  leaving  her  cousin  standing 
alone  by  the  rail.  "  See  there,  is  n't  that  like  a 
diamond  necklace  ?  "  asked  Eunice  after  a  time, 
as  some  one,  she  supposed  Edwina,  approached  and 
stood  beside  her  in  the  dusk. 

A  man's  voice  —  and  a  strikingly  pleasant  one  — 
replied  :  "  Yes,  I  fancy  that  is  Folkestone  ;  but  it 
is  enough  for  you  that  it  is  land,  I  imagine.  I  'm 
glad  to  see  you  are  feeling  well  again,  Miss 
Pritchard." 

Eunice  stared  up  into  the  speaker's  face.  Like 
herself,  he  had  discarded  the  habiliments  of  the  sea, 
but  had  he  still  been  in  the  rough  outing  clothes 


24         MISS  PRITCHAR&S   WEDDING   TRIP 

he  had  worn,  she  would  have  failed  to  recognize 
him.  The  bad  dream  of  the  past  ten  days  had 
been  peopled  with  more  or  less  loathsome  human 
beings,  the  more  objectionable  being  those  who 
had  attempted  to  talk  to  her.  She  judged  that  this 
stranger,  from  his  familiarity  with  her  name,  must 
belong  to  that  class. 

"Thank  you,"  she  answered,  recovering  herself. 
"When  people  at  my  age  are  foolish  enough  to  go 
to  sea,  they  must  take  the  consequences,  and  so 
must  their  friends.  I  came  on  this  trip  against  my 
better  judgment  —  altogether  against  it." 

"  Yes,  you  told  me  so  that  day  I  helped  you  to 
your  chair  when  you  could  n't  find  Miss  Wilder." 

"H'm.     Did  I?" 

Miss  Pritchard  dimly  remembered  the  circum- 
stance ;  but  her  assistant  might  have  been  a  tree 
walking  on  that  occasion,  for  all  the  individuality 
he  had  assumed  to  her.  She  gave  another  upward 
side-glance  at  his  smooth  face.  At  the  same  mo- 
ment Edwina  approached,  and  nodded  to  the  young 
man  as  she  placed  the  collar  about  her  cousin's 
shoulders. 

"  You  see,  cousin  Eunice  is  quite  herself  again, 
Mr.  Champion  ;  but  I  'm  to  take  out  our  naturali- 
zation papers  (if  that 's  the  name  of  them)  as  soon 
after  we  land  as  is  practicable.  She  's  never  com- 
ing back." 

The  girl's  tone  was  such  as  she  might  use  to  any 
one  of  those  acquaintances  and  friends  whose  roses 
had  been  consigned  to  the  deep  more  than  a  week 


ENGLAND  25 

ago.  Miss  Pritchard  began  to  consider  that  there 
were  ten  days  of  her  child's  life  that  had  been  a 
sealed  book  to  her,  —  Edwina's  own  particular  ship's 
log,  into  which  she  should  like  to  pry.  She  looked 
involuntarily  through  the  darkness  for  more  male 
beings  to  appear.  Nonsense  !  This  tall  personage 
might  have  a  wife  and  baby  on  board. 

No  Mrs.  Champion,  however,  appeared  at  the 
evening  lunch,  where  Miss  Pritchard  partook,  with 
the  appetite  of  the  hollow,  of  sandwiches  and  gin- 
ger ale  which  the  young  man  provided.  She  gave 
herself  up  to  the  feast  in  genial  mood,  wondering 
if  it  might  be  the  recent  starvation  of  her  senses 
that  made  her  host's  manner  impress  her  so  agree- 
ably and  his  laugh  seem,  with  one  exception,  the 
most  musical  and  infectious  to  which  she  had  ever 
listened. 

He  was  very  helpful  to  them  in  the  events  of  the 
following  morning.  He  stood  in  line  in  the  crush 
of  the  saloon,  and  secured  their  tickets  for  the  train 
with  his  own.  He  helped  them  through  the  cus- 
toms, and  chaffed  Miss  Pritchard  about  the  spirits 
and  tobacco  which  at  the  officer's  demand  she 
denied  having ;  and  when  they  all  set  foot  upon 
English  soil,  Eunice  forgot  all  apprehension  of  the 
Serpent's  possible  baneful  power,  in  eager  reliance 
upon  his  wisdom  to  get  them  started  in  this  strange 
land,  where  Edwina  was  just  ignorant  enough  to 
have  no  fears. 

The  sight  of  the  train,  so  strangely  small  to 
American  eyes,  roused  her  amazement.  The  little 
pea-green  engine  shrieked. 


26          MISS  PBITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Looks  like  a  baby,  and  squeals  like  one  !  "  she 
ejaculated  scornfully. 

"  Look  out,  Miss  Pritchard,  —  the  country  of 
your  adoption,  you  know,"  warned  Champion.  He 
handed  his  companions  into  a  luxurious  carriage, 
where  Eunice  sank  back  upon  the  fine  soft  cush- 
ions and  gazed  about  her. 

"  First  class,"  explained  Edwina,  whom  know- 
ing ones  on  the  ship  and  her  Baedeker  had  made 
wise.  "  Make  the  most  of  it,  cousin  Eunice. 
You  '11  never  ride  first  class  again.  We  're  neither 
fools  nor  princes,  nor,"  smiling  toward  Champion, 
—  "  nor  even  Americans  any  more." 

Arrived  in  London,  their  ways  parted,  and  this 
was  the  chief  fact  why  Miss  Pritchard's  heart 
warmed  unusually  to  Howard  Champion.  He  had 
been  helpful  and  kind ;  so,  though  his  physical 
man  was  of  a  sort  to  be  objectionable  to  her,  her 
little  hand  gave  his  a  timid  squeeze  when  he  had 
put  them  in  their  cab  and  said  a  rather  elaborate 
good-by.  He  himself  was  bound  for  the  house  of 
friends.  He  was  an  architect,  and  was  going  to 
the  cathedral  towns  almost  at  once,  and  for  this 
Eunice,  when  he  turned  and  replaced  his  hat, 
looked  after  his  retiring  form  approvingly,  inas- 
much as  she  should  never  see  its  well-set-up  lines 
again. 

"  And  now  we  're  alone  in  London,"  said  Ed- 
wina slowly,  large-eyed  and  solemn,  as  their  horse 
started. 

"  Don't !      You  give   me   a   turn  !  "   exclaimed 


ENGLAND  27 

Eunice,  her  pensive  gaze  coming  back  in  the  deaf- 
ening turmoil. 

The  girl  threw  an  arm  around  her  and  gave  her 
a  squeeze.  "  It 's  the  greatest  fun  in  the  world  !  " 
she  laughed.  "  There  are  two  things  only  that 
make  our  happiness  precarious :  the  letter  of  credit 
and  the  address  book.  If  I  should  lose  either 
of  those,  it  would  give  me  a  turn.  Baedeker,  of 
course  ;  but  if  I  lost  him,  I  could  buy  him  again. 
Oh,  I  'm  the  happiest  girl  in  Europe  !  " 

Miss  Pritchard  regarded  her  kindling  face  with 
dark  doubts  that  she  had  been  gulled.  If  ever  a 
maid  appeared  fancy-free,  this  girl  appeared  so. 
If  she  were  so  indeed,  then  what  necessity  for  en- 
during the  writhing  misery  of  that  ocean  liner,  — 
for  the  unspeakable  din  at  this  moment  afflicting 
Eunice's  Bostonian  ears  ?  No,  it  would  be  too  much 
to  acknowledge  this  upheaval  to  be  for  naught. 
"  I  nipped  it  in  the  bud,  that 's  all,"  thought  Miss 
Pritchard  stoutly.  "  I  acted  promptly.  I  was  in 
time.  The  diversion  has  already  been  effectual." 

The  following  days  were  given  to  seeing  London 
in  the  radiant  June  weather,  every  window  a  garden 
of  blossoming  flowers,  and  the  blue  vault  of  heaven 
smiling  down  upon  all.  Miss  Pritchard  caught  a 
bit  of  her  child's  enthusiasm  even  when  it  took  tho 
form  of  riding  on  top  of  a  'bus  from  Hyde  Park 
corner  up  Piccadilly  at  six  o'clock  P.  M.  She  held 
tight  to  the  rail  and  looked  down  fearfully  on  the 
compact  mass  of  horses  and  vehicles  through  which 
the  clever  drivers  managed  to  find  a  way,  and  tried 


28         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

to  realize  that  dying  with  Edwina  would  have  its 
compensations. 

The  Queen's  drawing-room,  with  Her  Majesty 
at  Balmoral  and  the  Princess  receiving,  was  en- 
tered into  by  Edwina  with  most  eager  zest.  "  It 
is  good  fun  to  be  nobody  at  all  at  this  sort  of  thing, 
unless  you  can  be  somebody  in  particular,  because 
then  you  can  do  exactly  as  you  like,"  she  said,  get- 
ting into  a  cab  with  passive  Miss  Pritchard  and 
driving  slowly  past  the  long  line  of  carriages  wait- 
ing with  their  fair  freight  between  St.  James  Park 
and  the  palace,  the  stiff  and  pompous  coachmen 
all  wearing  enormous  bouquets  on  their  breasts. 

"  How  many,  many  sweet  girls  ! "  exclaimed 
Edwina,  while  trying  to  make  her  pertinacious 
gaze  seem  to  fall  accidentally  on  the  fresh  English 
faces,  from  which  the  white  veils  swept  back.  "  It 
is  like  seeing  hundreds  of  brides  in  low-necked 
gowns,  and  never  a  bridegroom  in  sight." 

Miss  Pritchard  looked  admiringly  at  the  won- 
drous display  of  rare  flowers  carried  in  the  fair 
procession.  The  champing  horses  and  fine  car- 
riages under  the  arching  trees,  the  strains  of  the 
band  in  the  golden  sunshine,  the  brilliant  uniforms 
of  the  military,  gave  her  republican  soul  that  odd 
half-resentful  thrill  which  assails  it  at  the  novel 
approach  of  royalty. 

"  Oh,  the  Beef-Eaters  !  the  Beef-Eaters  !  "  ejac- 
ulated Edwina.  "We  must  get  out."  And  get 
out  they  did,  hurriedly  paying  the  cabman  and 
pressing  forward  for  a  nearer  view  of  the  erect, 


ENGLAND  29 

stately  old  men,  gray-bearded,  who  marched  to  the 
Palace  from  the  Tower  in  the  red  and  gold  of  their 
historic  uniforms,  the  crowds  held  back  for  their 
passage. 

Now  the  coaches  of  the  nobility  began  to  roll 
by  against  the  background  of  the  verdant  park. 
"  They  have  n't  changed  a  bit  since  Cinderella's 
day,"  said  Edwina  delightedly.  "  Same  prancing 
horses,  and  glitter,  and  golden  splendor,  same  pow- 
dered wigs  and  cocked  hats.  I  know  if  twelve 
should  strike  they  would  all  change  back  into  rats 
and  mice  —  and  oh  !  cousin  Eunice  !  there 's  Cin- 
derella —  quick !  " 

From  the  window  of  a  golden  coach  leaned  a 
youthful  high-bred  face,  a  coronet  jeweled  at 
every  point  resting  on  the  waves  of  brown  hair. 
"  Do  you  wish  you  were  in  one  of  those  carnages  ?  " 
asked  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Of  course  I  do.  I  would  n't  be  so  unnatural 
as  not  to  wish  to  be  '  presented  ' ;  but  the  next  best 
thing  is  to  be  one  of  the  hoi  polloi  and  stare  my 
eyes  out  at  the  swells  and  their  bushels  of  orchids." 
And  Edwina  seemed  to  find  the  next  best  thing  so 
.satisfactory  that  Eunice  put  aside  the  transient  re- 
gret that  her  circle  of  acquaintance  did  not  include 
a  duchess. 

At  last  came  the  long-awaited  royal  carriages. 
The  first,  containing  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of 
York,  was  welcomed  by  the  band  by  one  stave  of 
familiar  music. 

"  Good  !     They  're  going  to   play  '  America,'  " 


30          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  Why  don't  they  go  on  with 
it?" 

"  Here  come  the  Prince  and  Princess,  —  there, 
now  they  play  more,  you  see,"  as  the  crowd 
cheered  and  the  band  again  began  with  energy. 

"'My  country,  'tis  of  thee,'  "  hummed  Eunice. 

"What's   this?  what's  this?     It's  high  time 

o 

you  were  learning  '  God  save  our  noble  Queen !  ' 
The  idea  of  these  hankerings  after  a  country  that 
you  have  renounced !  Never  mind  rocks  and  rills 
now  ! " 

They  stood  in  the  crowd  until  it  began  to  dis- 
perse. Edwina  gave  a  sigh.  "  There !  It 's  over ! 
Let 's  go  over  to  Hyde  Park,  since  there  's  nothing 
more  to  be  seen  here  and  we  're  not  asked  in." 

"  The  trees,  Edwina.  The  trees  in  England  are 
a  dream,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  as  they  started 
along  Constitution  Road,  she  taking  her  child's 
arm  in  a  serenely  happy  frame  of  mind.  Again 
the  idea  came  to  her,  as  it  had  several  times  done, 
that  she  was  having  the  belated  joy  of  the  wedding 
trip  she  had  once  dreamed  of.  One  by  one  her 
fears  were  falling  away  from  her,  little  by  little 
the  clouds  over  her  pleasure  had  rolled  away.  She 
had  her  child  all  to  herself  in  a  strange  land,  and 
was  giving  her  an  experience  and  opportunity  in 
which  Edwina  reveled.  Moreover,  England  in 
June  is  of  itself  enough  to  uplift  the  most  hard- 
ened pessimist,  and  its  beauties  sank  into  Eunice's 
nature-loving  soul.  Whether  they  sat,  at  the  rate 
of  tuppence  a  seat,  in  Rotten  Row,  and  com- 


ENGLAND  31 

mented  on  the  carriage  folk,  riders,  and  pedes- 
trians, or  whether  they  listened  to  the  birds  in 
Kew  Gardens  and  Hampton  Court,  the  vast 
spreading  trees  and  the  flowers  were  a  constant 
joy  to  them  both. 

No  American  ever  outdid  Eunice  in  awe  and 
admiration  of  Windsor  Castle,  set  with  such  im- 
posing dominance  on  its  green  hill.  She  climbed 
the  heights  of  its  tower  and  rested  on  its  terraces. 
She  lingered  over  Henry  the  Eighth's  grave  in  St. 
George's  Chapel  until  Edwina  assured  her  that 
her  behavior  was  indecorous,  and  would  occasion 
remark  ;  and  by  the  time  they  sat  down  to  lunch 
at  The  White  Hart,  over  the  way  from  the  Castle, 
they  were  both  weary. 

Edwina  had  a  small  plot  ripening  in  her  mind, 
but  she  was  too  wise  a  maiden  to  reveal  it  until 
she  had  fed  and  revived  Miss  Pritchard  to  the 
point  of  enterprise.  "  I  wonder  what  our  little 
jockey  is  doing,"  she  remarked  as  she  poured  her 
cousin's  tea. 

"  Our  little  what  ?  " 

"  Of  course  you  remember  little  Johnnie  on  the 
boat.  I  pointed  him  out  to  you.  That  cunning 
little  boy  who  was  a  jockey  ?  " 

"Edwina,"  severely,  "never  ask  me  if  I  re- 
member anything  on  that  boat !  " 

"  That 's  true.  You  were  dead  to  the  world. 
Well,  he  was  a  bright  little  chap.  He  used  to 
take  me  down  into  the  hold  to  see  his  horses. 
They  would  lean  their  heads  out  and  whinny  when 
he  came  near." 


32          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  H'm."  Miss  Pritcliard  was  somewhat  inter- 
ested in  any  light  thrown  on  those  last  days,  and  a 
child's  company,  even  a  jockey's,  must  be  harm- 
less. 

"  His  trainer  told  me  Johnnie  had  never  lost  a 
race,  and  he  had  ridden  several." 

"  For  pity's  sake,  Ned  !  What  were  you  think- 
ing of  to  be  talking  with  a  trainer  /  " 

"  He  was  a  very  nice  man,  and  wore  almost  as 
many  rings  as  his  wife  did  ;  but  Johnnie  was  the 
simplest,  most  honest  little  fellow.  I  asked  him 
once  what  he  thought  of  when  his  horse  was  win- 
ning and  nearly  at  the  goal.  He  reflected  for  a 
while,  and  then  said :  '  I  don't  have  time  to  think 
nothinV  I  should  like  to  see  him  ride." 

Miss  Pritchard  was  busy  with  her  fried  sole,  and 
made  no  remark. 

"  I  don't  believe  he  rides  at  Ascot,"  hazarded 
Edwina. 

"No?" 

"  The  races  are  going  on  there  to-day." 

"  Yes  ?     Is  n't  this  sole  delicious  ?  " 

When  they  had  finished  lunch,  and  Eunice  was 
leaning  back  in  her  chair  waiting  for  the  bill  to  be 
paid,  the  placidity  of  her  countenance  encouraged 
her  companion  to  come  to  the  point. 

"  It  would  be  pretty  good  fun  to  go  out  to 
Ascot." 

"  When  ?  " 

"Now." 

"  No,  no  !     Not  horse-racing,  Ned !  " 


ENGLAND  33 

"  You  need  only  look  at  the  crowd  and  the 
clothes." 

"  But  we  two  alone !     Such  an  ungodly  place  !  " 

"  We  must  do  something,  the  weather  is  so 
heavenly,  and  we  go  through  Great  Windsor  Park. 
It 's  a  great  pity  not  to  see  that  now  we  're  so 
near." 

Edwina  observed  the  expression  which  the  word 
"  park  "  brought  into  her  cousin's  face.  "  They 
tell  me  it  is  one  of  the  finest  about  London.  It 
will  be  our  only  chance." 

At  this  Miss  Pritchard  forgot  all  about  Ascot 
and  that  most  senseless  of  diversions,  horse-racing, 
and  mounting  blithely  to  the  top  of  an  omnibus 
with  her  child  and  a  few  other  belated  ones,  they 
set  forth  through  the  regal  elm  avenues  of  the  vast 
field,  her  heart  swelling  with  appreciation  of  the 
leafy  vistas  where  the  dappled  deer  trod  lightly  on 
the  velvet  green  in  their  lovely  isolation.  So  they 
might  have  moved  on  for  hours  and  Eunice  would 
not  have  observed  the  passage  of  time,  but  when 
they  emerged  into  a  village  street  and  paused  be- 
fore a  tavern,  she  roused  herself  from  her  dreams. 

"  Do  we  get  down  here  ?  "  she  asked  vaguely. 

"  No,  this  is  only  to  give  the  horses  the  usual 
buckets  of  malted  milk,"  replied  Edwina,  who 
always  sat  as  close  behind  the  driver  as  possible, 
and  took  great  interest  in  the  opaque  beverage 
which  regales  English  'bus  horses. 

"  Then  where  are  we  going  ?  " 

"  To  Ascot,"  said  Edwina  sweetly. 


34         MISS  PRITCHARVS   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  My  dear,  I  told  you  it  was  against  my  better 
judgment "  — 

"  But  we  can't  get  anything  to  drive  back  in 
from  here." 

"  Oh,  in  that  case  "  —  and  on  they  went  through 
the  winding  country  lanes,  which  quickly  diverted 
Miss  Pritchard,  and  which  she  regretted  to  ex- 
change for  a  scene  which  caused  her  to  say  to  her- 
self with  emphasis  that  "  only  man  is  vile." 

They  dismounted  from  their  plebeian  vehicle 
when  it  had  worked  its  way  among  every  species 
of  wheeled  conveyance,  and  Edwina's  eyes  danced 
as  with  her  bewildered  cousin  clinging  to  her  she 
moved  over  the  yielding  turf  toward  an  amazing 
din  of  conflicting  orchestrions  in  the  side-shows 
facing  the  track  ;  but  before  they  had  reached  their 
clamor,  a  sweet  fluty  note,  strange  and  charming, 
made  the  couple  turn  here  and  there  to  place  the 
mellow  whistle  ;  and  at  the  same  moment  they 
looked  and  pointed  delightedly  at  the  brown  atom 
wheeling  toward  the  earth. 

"  It  can't  be  a  very  bad  place  where  a  skylark 
comes,"  said  Eunice  hopefully. 

"I  don't  know.  Larks  are  considered  ques- 
tionable." 

"  To  think  I  've  really  seen  a  skylark  !  " 

"  We  '11  see  everything  !  "  declared  Edwina  ex- 
ultantly. 

"  And  hear  everything !  "  groaned  Eunice,  for 
their  rapid  walk  brought  them  toward  the  bellow- 
ing lungs  of  brass  which  were  defying  each  other 


ENGLAND  36 

with  different  tunes,  neither  of  which  had  any  hope 
of  victory. 

Delicate  costumes  trailed  across  the  grass ; 
horses  and  jockeys  were  gathering  at  one  end  of 
the  field  for  the  principal  race  of  the  day.  The 
grand  stand  was  black  with  spectators.  Yet  the 
side-shows  did  not  despair  of  patronage.  Eunice's 
amazed  eyes  beheld  one  tent  over  which  was  a  gro- 
tesque painting  labeled  "  The  Elephant-Man  from 
Indiana,  America,"  and  for  fear  that  this  adver- 
tisement was  not  sufficiently  noticeable,  a  man 
stood  before  the  tent-curtain  and  rang  a  large  din- 
ner-bell with  might  and  main. 

"  Come  away  !  come  away  !  "  begged  Eunice. 

Edwina  obediently  moved  along,  her  mind  intent 
on  securing  a  place  so  close  to  the  track  that  Miss 
Pritchard's  short  stature  should  not  deprive  her 
of  the  sight.  Eunice  still  clung  to  her,  divided 
between  admiration  of  the  wide  green  fields  and 
airy  summer  costumes,  and  shrinking  from  the 
pandemonium  of  the  merry-go-rounds  and  the 
flight  of  excited  horses  as  they  skimmed  by  in 
the  race. 

At  the  climax  of  excitement,  her  doubts  as  to 
whether  she  were  happy  or  miserable  were  settled 
by  the  advance  of  a  shabby  man  with  a  bag  who 
pressed  upon  her  a  small  tract  headed  in  capitals, 
The  Eternity  Stakes,  and  proving  under  three 
divisions,  The  Start,  The  Race,  and  The  Finish, 
that  all  this  hilarious,  betting  crowd  and  those  who 
consorted  with  them  were  well  started  on  that 


36          MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING   TRIP 

track  which  leads  with  increasing  swiftness  down- 
ward. Its  accusing  head-lines  seemed  set  to  the 
screech  of  the  orchestrions. 

"  Edwina,  we  must  go  !  "  ejaculated  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  in  a  sort  of  frenzy,  just  as  every  one  about  her 
seemed  caught  in  a  storm  of  excitement. 

"  Was  n't  that  great  ?  "  exclaimed  the  rosy  girl, 
joining  in  the  applause  that  drowned  the  lessening 
hoof-beats,  the  applause  again  being  drowned  in 
mad  cheers  of  victory.  "  And  Johnnie  was  n't 
there  at  all !  They  were  all  much  bigger  than 
Johnnie.  Oh,  I  'm  afraid  that 's  the  last,  cousin 
Eunice,  by  the  way  the  people  are  moving. 
Were  n't  we  lucky  ?  We  're  always  lucky."  Her 
eyes  were  sparkling,  and  she  squeezed  her  cousin's 
hand  against  her  side  triumphantly. 

"  We  should  n't  have  come.  It 's  wicked.  Let 's 
hurry  away,"  returned  Eunice  with  agitation,  pull- 
ing toward  the  distant  road. 

"  Did  n't  you  like  it  ?  Did  n't  that  rush  make 
your  cheeks  tingle  ?  "  Edwina  moved  with  her  in 
the  stream  of  people,  laughing  at  the  tremors  she 
could  not  understand.  "  What  is  wicked  about 
seeing  those  beautiful  horses  let  out  their  strength  ? 
They  enjoyed  it  as  much  as  the  skylark  reveled 
in  his  song." 

Half  a  sob  caught  in  Miss  Pritchard's  throat. 
"  That  little  lark  did  n't  know  what  company  he 
was  in,  I  'm  sure  of  that ;  but  neither  did  we  ;  and 
now  we  '11  just  find  that  'bus  and  get  back  to  Lon- 
don as  soon  as  we  can.  Don't  you  think  if  you 


ENGLAND  37 

should  fee  the  driver,  he  'd  go  fast,  Edwina  ?  I  'm 
sure  we  shall  be  very  late  at  best." 

The  careless  crowd  pressing  upon  and  by  them 
brought  Edwina  to  a  realization  of  the  situation. 
She  ceased  smiling,  and  began  to  look  industri- 
ously about  her  in  search  of  a  conveyance  as  she 
hastened  her  steps.  Rough  men  were  swarming 
upon  the  public  conveyances  like  flies,  and  shout- 
ing as  they  drove  away.  It  was  a  bewildering  sit- 
uation. Several  times  the  girl  tried  to  mount  into 
a  vehicle,  only  to  be  told  in  no  gentle  tone  that  it 
was  engaged.  She  did  not  know  where  to  turn, 
and  as  the  distance  to  Windsor  and  thence  to  Lon- 
don loomed  before  her  mental  vision,  she  refrained 
from  consulting  her  watch  lest  her  dismal  appre- 
hensions should  be  verified. 

The  nonchalant  and  cool  manner  which  she 
managed  to  retain  while  she  scrutinized  the  situa- 
tion exasperated  rather  than  soothed  her  compan- 
ion. "  It  was  against  my  better  judgment  that  we 
came  to  Europe  at  all,"  she  mourned  as  a  burly 
man  knocked  against  her  little  shoulder  in  passing. 
"  If  we  had  n't  come  I  should  n't  have  been  sick 
on  the  ship,  and  you  would  n't  have  gone  about 
with  swearing  horse-racers,  and  you  'd  never  have 
thought  of  coming  here  to  the  land's  end,  where 
folks  are  most  likely  betting  and  going  to  kill 
themselves,  and  —  don't  tread  on  my  toes,  you  big 
loafer !  —  and  we  Ve  got  to  stay  here  all  night,  and 
perhaps  —  Oh !  "  the  exclamation  was  in  a  tone  of 
sudden  frenzy,  and  to  Edwina's  astonishment  Miss 


38         MISS  PEITCHARVS   WEDDING  TEIP 

Pritchard  dropped  her  arm  and  slipped  through 
the  crowd. 

A  pair  of  horses  impeding  her  a  moment,  the 
girl,  when  she  had  managed  to  cross  the  street, 
beheld  her  cousin  clasping  the  hand  of  a  tall  man 
in  both  her  own  and  pouring  forth  upon  him  a 
flood  of  eloquence.  Pleasure  was  struggling  with 
mystification  in  his  face,  and  triumphed  when  he 
saw  Edwina,  who  instinctively  stiffened. 

"  Dear  me,  Mr.  Champion,  how  my  cousin's  on- 
slaught must  have  surprised  you,"  she  said,  receiv- 
ing his  eager  greeting  with  a  passively  yielded 
hand.  "  Is  she  casting  two  damsels  on  your  mercy, 
as  if  you  were  a  knight  of  old  ?  The  conveyances 
here  seem  to  have  no  system,  but  I  am  sure  we 
shall  soon  find  one." 

The  young  man  had  no  mustache  into  which  to 
smile  his  amusement,  so  he  bowed  respectful  assent 
and  would  have  spoken  except  that  Eunice  struck 
in  nervously. 

"  You  know  we  shan't,  Edwina  !  We  've  tried 
and  tried,  and  it 's  a  perfect  Providence  that  I  saw 
Mr.  Champion  just  as  I  was  ready  to  cry.  How 
are  you  going  back?"  turning  to  him  again,  as  if 
the  very  sight  of  his  cool,  strong  face  promised 
relief. 

"I  am  a  guest  on  that  drag  over  there,"  indi- 
cating with  a  motion  of  his  head  a  gay  party  who 
with  their  four  glistening  horses  seemed  ready  to 
start. 

"  And  they  are  waiting  for  you,"  said  Edwina, 


ENGLAND  39 

her  acute  annoyance  struggling  into  her  quiet  tone. 
"  Pray  don't  stay  a  moment.  The  crowd  makes 
cousin  Eunice  nervous,  but  she  may  trust  me ; 
there  are  a  dozen  ways  that  we  can  get  back.  Go 
at  once,  please  !  " 

The  light  in  her  eyes  reduced  Miss  Pritchard  to 
speechless  supplication. 

"  Oh,  that 's  all  right,"  said  Champion  carelessly. 
"  It  is  a  confusing  place.  Just  stand  here  a  minute, 
will  you  ?  " 

He  strode  away,  and  Edwina  saw  him  make  a 
gesture  toward  his  party  and  then  disappear. 
With  nervous  energy  she  again  looked  about  her, 
and  asking  her  cousin  to  wait  where  she  was,  she 
ran  up  to  many  species  of  vehicles,  some  in  such 
a  ramshackle  condition  that  ordinarily  she  would 
not  consider  their  possibility,  and  demanded,  even 
pleaded,  for  places  for  two.  A  little  matter  of 
money  should  not  prevent  her  from  meeting  Cham- 
pion on  his  return  with  polite  thanks  and  expla- 
nation that,  places  having  offered,  she  had  already 
secured  them. 

No  one  would  have  her,  although  refusals  were 
sometimes  softened  by  reference  to  her  bonny  face, 
which  changed  it  to  a  crimson.  Oftener  a  blunt 
"  Now !  "  discouraged  her  efforts,  and  still  the 
luckier  crowd  swarmed  into  the  places  awaiting 
them,  and  at  last  a  desperate  call  from  Miss  Pritch- 
ard brought  her  reluctant  feet  back  to  where  she 
had  left  her. 

Champion  was  getting  out  of  a  low,  black,  open 


40          MISS  PRITCRARiyS   WEDDING   TRIP 

wagon,  and  while  he  handed  eager  Miss  Pritchard 
to  her  place,  he  addressed  her  cousin.  "  Only  two 
other  passengers,  and  they  look  inoffensive.  Sorry 
I  could  n't  get  you  something  loftier,  for  I  am 
afraid  you  will  catch  the  dust." 

"  I  'm  sure  we  thank  you  very  much,"  said 
Edwina  as  she  seated  herself. 

"  Oh,  indeed  we  do !  "  added  Eunice  with  fervor. 
"You  know  I  told  you  it  was  against  my  bet- 
ter "  — 

The  wagon  rattled  off,  and  she  waved  her  hand 
toward  the  lifted  hat. 

"  What  an  elegant  turnout  that  was  of  his  !  " 
said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  What,"  rolling  up  her  eyes, 
"  what  a  time  we  have  had  !  " 

"  You  make  too  much  of  it,"  said  the  girl  curtly. 
"  If  Mr.  Glenn  were  here,  he  would  say  you  have 
no  sporting  blood." 

"  Mr.  Glenn  —  her  first  thought,"  reflected 
Eunice.  "  I  should  hope  not,"  she  said  devoutly. 
"  We  went  into  it  innocently,  Edwina.  People 
get  drawn  along  through  beautiful  places  where 
there  are  deer  and  larks,  and  never  think  of  the 
pit  they  may  be  approaching.  Look  at  this."  She 
put  the  lurid  tract  into  her  child's  hand. 

Edwina  examined  it  listlessly,  and  gave  a  short, 
scornful  laugh.  "  '  The  road  to  ruin  ! '  What  do 
I  care  for  the  lake  of  brimstone  after  this  mortify- 
ing experience !  Yes,"  for  her  cousin  started  and 
stared,  "how  could  you  let  Mr.  Champion  know 
what  a  position  we  were  in,  —  jostling  in  that  dis- 


ENGLAND  41 

gusting  beery  crowd,  and  being  brushed  off  every 
conveyance  we  tried  for  as  if  we  were  flies !  " 

Her  astonished  companion  stammered :  "I  —  I 
—  why,  Edwina  "  — 

"  I  'd  rather  have  stayed  there  all  night  —  yes, 
in  the  tent  with  the  elephant-man,  than  have  met 
him  ! " 

"  Edwina,"  looking  appealingly  into  the  flashing 
eyes,  "  you  said  only  the  other  day  you  liked  to  be 
nobody  in  particular  —  one  of  the  crowd  —  so  you 
could  do  as  you  wished." 

"  Where  I  'm  not  known.  You  made  us  known. 
You  made  all  that  drag  party  wait  while  Mr. 
Champion,  a  stranger,  rushed  about  in  the  dust  for 
two  senseless  women  who  had  n't  had  forethought 
to  make  the  simplest  arrangements  for  themselves, 
and  who  did  n't  hesitate  to  take  advantage  of  their 
slight  acquaintance  with  him." 

"  Dear  me,  Edwina!  "  was  all  Eunice  could  say, 
and  she  looked  appalled.  Never  in  the  girl's  life 
had  she  spoken  to  her  in  such  a  manner. 

So  they  sat  for  a  time  in  silence,  each  confront- 
ing her  own  disquiet,  while  the  rattle  of  the  com- 
fortless wagon  filled  their  ears  as  it  had  covered 
their  speech  from  the  curiously  gazing  man  and 
woman  who  were  their  companions. 

Slowly  the  girl's  pulses  grew  calmer,  and  annoy- 
ance at  her  own  excitement  surmounted  her  morti- 
fication. "  I  am  exaggerating  absurdly,"  she  said 
to  herself,  although  her  pride  continued  to  assert 
loudly  that  to-morrow  and  for  many  to-morrows  the 


42          MISS  PEITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

picture  of  the  gay  company  on  the  drag  waiting 
while  Miss  Pritchard  clung  to  and  detained  one  of 
their  number  would  make  her  warm.  Her  eyes 
fell  upon  her  cousin's  averted  face,  and  a  wave  of 
contrition  swept  through  her.  It  had  been  her 
own  determination  that  had  lured  the  little  woman 
to  Ascot,  and  her  own  inexperience  and  thought- 
lessness which  had  placed  them  in  an  embarrassing 
position,  and  had  not  Miss  Pritchard  behaved  so 
impulsively,  what  proof  had  she  that  they  would 
now  be  on  the  much-desired  road  to  Windsor  ? 

There  was  nothing  in  the  peculiar  relation 
between  Edwina  and  her  cousin  to  have  caused  the 
former  ever  to  dwell  upon  the  debt  of  gratitude 
she  owed  her,  from  a  material  standpoint.  From 
that  first  day  when  Eunice  caressed  her  wavy  head 
with  such  timid,  fervent  affection,  and  the  lonely 
child  had  gone  gladly  in  to  fill  the  place  that  was 
waiting  for  her,  there  had  been  no  calculation  or 
conscious  sense  of  duty  in  either  toward  the  other. 

Edwina  knew  she  was  the  sun  of  Eunice's  world, 
and  knew  that  in  the  beginning  this  had  been  be- 
cause Eunice  had  loved  her  father  only,  of  all  men ; 
and  any  sense  of  her  own  dependence  on  her  cousin 
had  always  been  swallowed  up  in  the  knowledge, 
affectionately  and  chivalrously  entertained,  of  Miss 
Pritchard's  dependence  upon  her.  A  vague  sense 
of  having  been  false  to  a  trust  assailed  her  now 
as  she  regarded  the  little  figure  with  the  averted 
face  ;  and  a  smile  and  a  tear  both  rose  at  the  reali- 
zation of  this  dismal  return  from  the  races  in  dis- 


ENGLAND  43 

tinction  from  the  festive  pictures  usually  connected 
with  Ascot.  Clouds  of  dust  were  powdering  their 
hats  and  gowns,  and  close  in  Eunice's  thin  little 
hand  was  grasped  the  tract  with  its  promises  of 
sojourn  in  a  locality  where  such  reckless  indulgence 
as  the  present  excursion  would  be  atoned  for  eter- 
nally. 

The  smile  triumphed.  Edwina  put  her  arm 
around  the  little  dusty  shoulders.  "  Don't  you 
care,"  she  said  cheerfully. 

"I  won't  if  you  don't,"  returned  Miss  Pritchard, 
turning  and  seeking  the  renewed  sunshine  of  her 
child's  eyes  eagerly.  "  I  had  n't  an  idea,  Edwina, 
that  you  disliked  Mr.  Champion  so." 

This,  then,  was  the  fruit  of  Eunice's  puzzled 
reflections. 

"  We  '11  have  a  fine  breathing  spell  going  through 
the  park,"  said  the  girl,  "  and  get  away  from  the 
dust.  Let's  throw  away  this  little  bit  of  good 
cheer,"  unloosening  her  cousin's  hand  from  the 
tract.  "  It  might  frighten  the  deer." 

Miss  Pritchard  yielded  the  paper.  "  I  don't 
really  think  we  've  had  a  good  enough  time  to  be 
punished  for,"  she  said,  so  naively  that  the  girl 
smiled  again.  She  had  had  a  good  time  and  a- 
punishment  in  rapid  succession  ;  and  if  she  had 
deserved  the  latter,  could,  according  to  her  cousin's 
code,  start  square  again  with  the  world. 

The  drive  through  the  park  in  the  late  afternoon 
was  a  refreshment,  and  still  further  soothed  the 
two  excursionists.  Eunice's  eyes  looked  happily 


44          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

out  through  her  dusty  veil  on  the  acres  of  velvet 
turf,  where  the  starlings  ran  hither  and  yon,  and 
fawns  disported  themselves  beneath  the  symmet- 
rical giant  trees.  This  was  no  place  to  read  the 
little  red  tract.  Fragrance,  song,  innocence,  con- 
tentment, were  in  the  air. 

"  Beautiful  England,  Edwina !  "  she  breathed, 
leaning  back  in  the  hollow  of  the  girl's  arm. 

"  Beautiful  England,  cousin  Eunice." 


CHAPTER  III 

WALES 

COMMEMORATION  WEEK  at  Oxford  was  drawing 
near,  and  Edwina  knew  that  the  only  hope  of  a 
glimpse  of  those  classic  shades  was  in  hastening 
away  now  from  London.  She  was  an  energetic 
girl,  with  her  wits  about  her  usually,  and  her  di- 
lemma at  Ascot  had  determined  her  never  to  make 
another  fiasco  in  her  position  of  courier  for  lack 
of  foresight. 

"  One  more  visit  to  the  Abbey  ?  "  pleaded  Miss 
Pritchard. 

"  When  we  're  living  here  there  will  be  time 
enough  for  that." 

"  And  going  away  from  the  Bow  Bells !  "  went 
on  Eunice  sentimentally. 

"  It 's  now  or  never  at  Oxford,"  returned  Ed- 
wina firmly ;  and  so  they  took  the  train. 

"  I  don't  like  to  be  locked  in,"  said  Miss  Pritch- 
ard, when  the  guard  had  slammed  the  door. 

"  Why  ?  Do  you  want  to  get  out  ?  "  for  the  train 
was  gaining  speed. 

u  It 's  the  idea,"  explained  Eunice  ;  but  she  soon 
forgot  the  natural  American  resentment  of  protec- 
tion, in  pleasure  at  the  charming  landscape. 


46          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Mr.  Julian  Ralph  protested  against  the  casting 
aside  of  a  scrap  of  paper  in  an  English  street  by 
another  American,  saying,  "  Man,  what  are  you 
doing  ?  You  '11  spoil  England  !  "  And  this  order 
and  culture  and  verdant  charm  of  the  whole  coun- 
try began  to  impress  itself  more  and  more  on  the 
travelers.  No  waste  or  neglected  spot  met  their 
admiring  eyes ;  but  Edwina  soon  began  to  read 
her  Baedeker,  and  study  her  address  book.  She 
had  already  done  what  she  could  by  writing,  but 
not  having  succeeded  in  receiving  a  definite  pro- 
mise of  an  abiding-place,  it  was  a  relief  on  reach- 
ing Oxford  to  find  a  house  where  they  could  be 
lodged  for  the  short  time  that  intervened  before 
that  gala  week  for  which  every  nook  and  corner  in 
the  town  had  been  engaged  long  before. 

The  knowledge  that  their  hours  were  few  lent 
an  extra  zest  to  the  pleasure  of  roaming  through 
the  colleges  with  their  flowery  quadrangles,  cool 
cloisters,  and  ivy-clad  walls.  The  Memorial  Hall 
and  kitchen  at  Christ  Church  College  —  the  por- 
traits in  the  one  and  the  enormous  fireplace  in  the 
other,  were,  Miss  Pritchard  said,  worth  untold 
pages  of  English  history  to  her,  and  brought  Car- 
dinal "VVolsey's  day  and  his  interests  very  close. 
Edwina  could  hardly  tear  her  from  a  fascinated 
regard  of  three  huge  roasts  turning  at  one  time  on 
the  spit  before  the  glowing  expanse  of  fire  in  the 
kitchen,  where  a  great  turtle  winked  reflectively, 
biding  its  time. 

The  girl  had  an  ambition  to  go  on  the  Thames 


WALES  47 

in  a  punt,  so  she  led  her  cousin  to  the  riverside, 
only  to  find  —  to  Miss  Pritchard's  secret  satisfac- 
tion —  that  all  the  boats  were  engaged.  They 
looked  curiously  at  the  house-boats  moored  along 
the  bare  shore,  which  rather  disappointed  Edwina 
by  its  lack  of  picturesqueness.  Another  and  nar- 
rower stream  tempted  them  out  of  the  hot  sunshine 
to  explore  its  shaded  banks.  It  was  the  Cherwell 
River,  and  here  were  the  poetry  and  charm  that  the 
girl  had  sought.  The  smooth  grass  grew  down  to 
the  water's  edge.  Old  trees  hung  out  over  the 
stream,  extending  leafy  boughs  in  dense  arches. 
The  river  wound  murmurously  between  its  velvet 
banks,  and  Miss  Pritchard  and  Edwina  sat  down 
in  the  dreamy  quiet,  and  watched  the  luxurious 
students  whose  punts  and  canoes  glided  into  sight 
in  endless  lazy  procession  around  the  bend  of  the 
stream.  Prostrate  among  downy  cushions,  a  young 
man  in  white  flannels,  feet  in  the  air  and  a  pipe 
in  his  mouth,  was  buried  in  the  pages  of  a  book, 
while  at  the  stern  of  his  boat  another  youth  silently 
and  pensively  propelled  the  floating  couch.  This 
picture  was  repeated  ad  infinitum. 

"  And  to  think,"  said  Edwina,  "  that  we  shall 
never  know  if  those  patient  punters  ever  get  their 
innings  and  lie  down  in  those  cushions  while  the 
sybarites  take  their  turn  at  toiling.  Cousin  Eu- 
nice," after  a  moment  of  listening  to  the  bird-songs 
trilling  on  the  air,  "  I  've  decided  I  'd  rather  be  an 
Oxford  student  than  anything." 

Miss  Pritchard  smiled.     "  If  you  could  have  all 


48          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

your  desires  granted,  I  should  have  a  queer  travel- 
ing companion.  Let  me  see.  You  've  wanted  to 
be  a  porpoise,  and  a  maid  of  honor,  an  English 
robin,  a  horse  jockey  "  — 

"  But  you  can  see  for  yourself  that  Oxford  stu- 
dents have  the  pleasantest  time  in  the  world ;  and 
is  n't  it  a  shame  we  have  to  be  driven  out  of  town  ? 
There  do  seem  to  be  such  a  lot  of  places  where 
we  're  not  invited.  Oh,  do  look  at  those  green  re- 
flections in  the  water  —  and  we  have  to  go  away ! 
Come,  cousin  Eunice,  I  'm  panic-stricken  for  fear 
we  're  missing  something." 

She  rose  and  gave  a  hand  to  her  companion,  and 
together  they  strolled  along  the  Broad  Walk  with 
its  avenue  of  magnificent  trees  surrounding  the 
living  green  of  Christ  Church  meadow. 

"  Be  a  porpoise  or  a  student,  or  both,  if  you  like, 
Edwina,"  said  her  cousin  impressively,  "but  I 
shall  be  a  poet  if  we  stay  in  England  much  longer." 

"  I  know  it.  I  don't  revere  Tennyson  nearly  so 
much  as  I  did,  for  how  could  he  help  it  ?  " 

The  following  morning  found  the  pair  under  the 
climbing  roses  and  vines  of  Magdalen  College. 
They  stood  in  the  cloister  and  listened,  thrilled,  to 
singing  which  came  from  behind  the  closed  doors  of 
the  chapel.  Then  they  passed  out  upon  the  little 
bridge,  overgrown  with  moss  and  ivy,  that  spans 
the  narrow  river  as  it  steals  quietly  beneath  the 
gray  old  walls.  They  watched  the  fish  disporting 
themselves  in  the  clear  water,  lovingly  regarded 
the  lofty  trees,  beginning  at  the  very  ground  to 


WALES  49 

bear  their  lavishly  generous  boughs.  Then,  tempted 
into  Addison's  walk,  they  took  the  long  ramble 
through  its  shade  and  were  happy. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  a  good  thing  there  is  a  serpent 
in  Eden,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  with  a  sigh. 

"  You  mean  the  bells  during  the  night  ?  "  for 
Eunice,  the  sensitive  and  nervous,  had  already 
mentioned  her  woes.  "  They  were  pretty  bad. 
They  even  disturbed  me." 

"  So,  beautiful  as  it  is,  I  think  one  more  night 
of  hearing  a  chorus  of  bells  bang  out  '  Three  Blind 
Mice,'  not  quite  together,  for  hours  at  a  stretch, 
will  satisfy  me." 

"  They  did  do  that,"  assented  Edwina  with  a 
laugh.  "  I  felt  like  imploring  them  just  to  go  on 
to  the  next  stave  —  '  See  how  they  run  ' !  " 

"  They  '11  '  see  how  they  run '  to-morrow  if  they 
watch  us,"  returned  Eunice. 

Edwina  had  noticed  an  advertisement  that 
"  Much  Ado  About  Nothing  "  was  to  be  given  that 
night  in  one  of  the  college  gardens,  so  she  and 
Eunice,  after  their  long,  happy  day,  took  their 
way  thither  when  the  sun  was  low  in  the  west. 
As  they  entered  the  grounds  the  birds  were  pour- 
ing forth  vespers  in  the  massive  trees.  The  turf, 
fine  and  smooth  as  pile  of  velvet,  yielded  beneath 
their  feet.  Climbing  roses,  large  and  red,  swung 
in  the  faint,  cool  breeze.  The  stage  was  built 
about  a  clump  of  old  elms  and  blossoming  shrubs, 
and  completely  carpeted  with  turf.  An  invisible 
orchestra  began  to  play  the  music  of  the  garden 


50         MISS  PEITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

scene  from  "  Faust."  Eunice  and  Edwina  sank 
into  their  places  in  silence.  Just  as  the  sunset 
turned  gorgeously  crimson,  the  play  commenced. 
There  might  have  been  faults  to  be  found  with 
that  representation,  but  our  couple  saw  none.  To 
them,  as  the  actors  in  their  quaint  costumes  came 
and  went,  pushing  aside  the  branches  of  the  trees 
as  they  made  their  entrances  and  exits,  the  illusion 
was  perfect.  It  was  the  time  of  Shakespeare,  and 
this  was  no  play,  but  reality. 

As  the  sun  colors  faded,  the  moon  rose  behind 
the  stage  while  yet  the  daylight  lingered  ;  and 
as  twilight  darkened,  a  lime-light  cleverly  assisted 
the  beams  of  Lady  Luna,  shining  softly  through 
the  leafy  screen.  Eunice  and  Edwina  observed 
nothing  artificial,  but  sat  silent,  hand  in  hand,  en- 
tranced, until  came  the  full  surrender  of  piquant, 
teasing  Beatrice.  Then  with  a  long  breath  they 
looked  about  them,  the  harmony  of  invisible  glees 
and  part-songs  still  in  their  ears.  The  gardens 
were  full  of  shadows.  The  trees  loomed,  huge 
black  spheres  and  ovals,  against  the  sky.  Colored 
designs  in  myriad  fairy  lamps  gleamed  among  the 
grasses,  while  garlands  of  airy  lanterns  swung 
their  soft  brightness  overhead. 

Walking  slowly,  Eunice  and  Edwina  came  out 
from  this  enchanted  land,  talking  low.  As  they 
pursued  their  way  through  a  silent  and  deserted 
street,  they  looked  and  wondered  at  a  cross  upraised 
in  its  stony  pavement.  It  marked  the  spot  where 
Cranmer,  Ridley,  and  Latimer  were  burned  ;  but 


WALES  51 

Baedeker  was  at  home,  so  the  spell  of  the  comedy 
of  ye  olden  tyme  which  still  held  them  remained 
unbroken  by  a  reminder  of  its  tragedy. 

From  Oxford  they  pursued  the  usual  path  of  the 
tourist  through  England's  garden  spots,  strayed  to 
their  hearts'  content  about  Warwick  Castle,  and 
sighed  speechless  over  the  gentle  beauty  of  the 
Avon  and  its  Fall.  They  clambered  through  Ken- 
nilworth's  grand  empty  spaces,  and  one  day  drove 
to  Stratford  with  a  little  old  Irish  driver,  who 
at  one  point  dismounted  to  give  them  a  spirited 
account  of  the  occasion  when  Shakespeare  was  ap- 
prehended for  poaching  in  this  very  field.  He  bal- 
anced his  short  body  in  its  battered  tall  hat  over 
the  stile,  to  show  them  how  the  treacherous  bars 
gave  way  with  the  bard  as  he  endeavored  to  flee, 
and  thereby  threw  him  into  the  hands  of  justice. 

They  inspected  Shakespeare's  bare  cottage  and 
the  flowery,  cosy  homeliness  of  Anne  Hathaway's ; 
strolled  up  the  stately  arching  avenue  of  limes  to 
the  church  where  Shakespeare  is  buried ;  then 
back  in  the  windless  crystal  air  through  the  win- 
ning pictures  of  the  rural  landscape  stretching 
far,  far  away,  and  all  enchantment  in  the  June 
weather. 

Next  they  moved  on  to  Wales,  and  sitting  on  the 
pier  at  Llandudno,  far  out  in  the  beating  waves, 
thousands  of  feet  from  the  shore,  listened  to  the 
orchestra  and  looked  at  the  wide  semicircle  of  bare 
rocky  cliffs  which  surrounded  the  city,  while  the 
sea-gulls  wheeled  and  darted  above  the  dashing 


52         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

spray.  The  Welsh  names  of  places,  and  especially 
of  houses,  excited  Miss  Pritchard  to  the  point  of 
rebellion. 

"  You  can't  tell  me  those  words  mean  anything !  " 
she  said  one  day,  regarding  the  grouped  conso- 
nants above  the  door  of  a  modest  home. 

"  I  think  myself  they  just  catch  up  a  handful  of 
the  alphabet,  throw  it  at  the  front  door,  and  accept 
the  consequences,"  returned  Edwina. 

Conway  Castle,  with  its  towers,  its  drawbridge, 
and  its  moat,  stirred  every  line  of  legendary  ro- 
mance that  had  ever  entered  into  the  girl's  heart. 
They  climbed  the  staircases  into  its  vacant  echoing 
rooms  and  sat  in  the  deep  stone  embrasures  of 
windows  set  in  walls  fifteen  feet  thick,  and  thence 
looked  out  upon  the  same  landscape  that  had 
greeted  the  eyes  of  many  a  tight-sleeved,  long- 
haired Eleanor  and  Margaret  of  past  centuries, 
one  of  whom  Edwina  promptly  expressed  a  wish 
to  be. 

"  I  wish  I  were  this  minute  hearing  the  hoofs  of 
my  good  knight's  charger,  pawing  the  stones  in  the 
courtyard  !  " 

"  I  guess  you  'd  be  thinking  more  about  hot 
water  bags  than  chargers  if  you  had  to  sit  on  these 
stone  seats  in  November,"  returned  her  cousin. 

"  You  forget  my  fur-trimmed  robes,"  said  Ed- 
wina loftily,  "  and  the  minions  that  would  be  run- 
ning around  with  braziers  of  coals  for  my  slippered 
feet." 

"Humph!  I  think  you  would  soon  be  begging 


WALES  53 

to  be  put  to  sleep  again  until  the  day  of  sealskins 
and  steam  heat  and  cushioned  divans." 

"  Tush  !  tush  !  Marry  come  up !  I  will  not  tilt 
with  thee !  "  and  Edwina  rose  from  her  rock-bench 
and  led  the  way  down  past  the  ivy-clad  walls  of  the 
ruined  courtyard,  endeavoring  to  trail  after  her  the 
clinging  robes  of  an  Ermengarde. 

Not  to  land  with  too  sudden  a  shock  in  the  nine- 
teenth century,  they  walked  over  to  Plas  Mawr,  a 
home  of  the  year  1530,  which  has  been  maintained 
unaltered  since  those  occasions  when  Queen  Eliza- 
beth made  use  of  it.  Her  own  and  Robert  Dudley's 
initials  appear  upon  the  dark  carven  walls  of  its 
low-ceiled,  rambling  rooms.  It  is  built  about  an 
ivy-grown  courtyard,  and  the  latticed  windows  and 
enormous  fireplaces  were  unhesitatingly  dubbed 
"  stunning  "  by  Edwina. 

"  They  were  coming  along  in  those  days,  —  com- 
ing along,"  admitted  Miss  Pritchard  leniently. 
"  This  is  a  long  step  ahead  of  Conway  Castle." 

"  A  step  ahead !  Is  n't  everybody  trying  now 
to  make  houses  as  like  this  as  they  possibly  can  ?  " 

"  Well,  they  don't  force  you  to  duck  in  the  door- 
ways," returned  Eunice,  for  the  girl's  hat  was 
smartly  bumped  as  she  passed  from  one  room  to 
the  next. 

"  You  think  too  much  of  detail,"  said  Edwina, 
rearranging  her  crushed  bows  with  dignity. 

"  There  are  two  things  here  that  make  me  feel 
very  far  from  home,"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  when 
they  had  returned  to  Llandudno  and  were  listen- 


54         JtflSS  PBITCHARD'S  WEDDING  TRIP 

ing  for  the  last  time  to  the  orchestra  on  the  pier. 
"  One  is  when  the  band  plays  'America '  and  every 
Englishman  takes  off  his  hat,  and  I  realize  it  is  n't 
our  hymn,  and  the  other  is  that"  Eunice  pointed 
to  a  long  painted  sign  which  stretched  from  end  to 
end  of  one  of  the  restaurants  on  the  pier :  "  We 
make  a  speciality  of  the  famous  American  bonbon 
known  as  popcorn  !  " 

The  following  day  they  took  the  coach  for  Bettws- 
y-Coed.  The  bugle  blew,  the  four  horses  started, 
and  soon  left  behind  the  bare  grandeur  of  the  Great 
Orme  for  the  wooded  hills  and  vales  beyond  Con- 
way's  gray  towers.  Eain  had  been  threatening, 
and  soon  fell  in  soft  showers,  and  there  was  a  great 
opening  and  shutting  of  umbrellas  on  the  coach. 

Edwina  looked  fondly  at  her  new  London  um- 
brella, of  which  she  had  taken  such  fond  care  that 
her  companion  had  dubbed  it  "  the  baby."  It  had 
a  pinkish  translucent  carnelian  ball  for  a  handle. 
Edwina  had  ransacked  London  to  find  the  stone, 
and  valued  it  accordingly.  She  had  had  the  um- 
brella made  in  the  Strand,  and  considered  it  the 
satisfactory  child  of  her  own  brain. 

"  We  don't  need  two  umbrellas,  cousin  Eunice," 
she  remarked  as  another  shower  fell,  and  many 
silken  collisions  took  place  on  the  crowded  coach. 
"  I  '11  stand  the  baby  up  between  us  and  hold  yours 
over  us  both." 

When  the  clouds  again  parted  and  the  tents  were 
furled,  Edwina  looked  down  only  to  suspect  a  tra- 
gedy. In  sudden  dread  she  pulled  her  dress  aside. 


WALES  55 

Near  her  feet  where  she  sat  at  the  front  of  the 
coach,  yawned  a  treacherous  gap.  It  was  too  true . 
Silently,  without  a  moan  of  farewell,  the  baby  had 
slipped  away.  Its  slender  form,  its  translucent  rosy 
countenance,  the  rich,  neat  necktie  of  cord  and  tas- 
sels under  its  smooth  chin,  had  never  seemed  so 
charming  to  its  bereaved  owner  as  now,  in  the  light 
of  memory. 

"  My  umbrella  is  gone  !  " 

"  No ! " 

"Yes." 

Sympathetic  stirring  and  lifting  of  skirts  on  the 
coach,  where  every  ramshackle  and  aged  parachute 
was  safe.  Frenzied  appeal  to  the  guard,  who  pro- 
mised to  make  inquiries  on  the  return  trip,  and  was 
helped  to  this  resolution  by  a  generous  bribe  as 
well  as  promises  of  future  reward  ;  all  destined  to 
be  in  vain,  as  Edwina  well  knew.  However,  Bet- 
tws-y-Coed  was  in  sight ;  and  is  there  any  minor 
ill,  even  that  of  losing  one's  pet  London  umbrella, 
which  Bettws  is  powerless  to  heal  ?  I  trow  not. 

This  fairy-tale  village,  with  its  one  street  nestled 
at  the  foot  of  rising  tiers  of  verdant  hills,  is  a  bower 
of  beauty,  a  haven  of  rest.  Its  roses  climb  higher 
and  bloom  larger  and  for  a  longer  time  than  else- 
where. Its  rivers  are  more  hopelessly  and  fascinat- 
ingly tangled  in  their  wooded  curves  than  others. 
Its  forests  are  wound  —  each  tree- trunk  —  with  a 
tiny  species  of  glossy  ivy,  as  if  for  a  fete,  while 
ferns  and  moss  massed  in  the  grass  beneath  carry 
out  the  decorative  idea ;  and  the  rivers,  racing 


56          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

through,  plunge  in  merry  little  waterfalls  from 
rock  to  rock.  They  hold  plenty  of  salmon,  too, 
which  come  hard  and  pink  to  the  table.  The  love- 
liness of  the  deep  glens  takes  the  breath ;  and  the 
bird-songs  are  certainly  not  set  to  Welsh  words. 
Dwygyfyleln  was  one  to  which  Miss  Pritchard  took 
especial  exception  ;  but,  "  What 's  in  a  name  ?  " 
Edwina  reminded  her  soothingly.  "When  one 
can  lodge  in  such  a  village,  and  have  Hovis  bread, 
unsalted  butter,  clotted  cream,  and  strawberries  for 
breakfast,  who  can  complain  ?  " 

They  took  coaching  trips  for  many  miles  about, 
and  Eunice  forgot  the  woes  of  trying  to  pronounce 
Gryffydd  and  Glyndwr  in  pure  rapture  at  nature's 
unspoiled  beauty.  Whether  it  were  the  rich  weight 
of  the  sycamores  overhanging  the  rivers,  or  the 
bare  green  of  the  smooth,  rolling  hills  on  the  road 
to  Beddgelert,  she  still  confided  to  Edwina  that 
she  felt  yearnings  towards  bursts  of  poetry. 

It  was  on  the  Fourth  of  July  that  they  mounted 
the  coach  for  the  ride  to  Beddgelert,  and  a  keen 
and  nipping  air  sent  the  collars  of  golf  capes  up 
about  the  passengers'  ears  as  the  bugle  blew  and 
the  strong  horses  set  off  under  the  clear  sky.  The 
driver's  high  white  hat  had  apparently  just  received 
a  fresh  application  of  kalsomine.  His  tight  cor- 
duroy trousers  fitted  inside  his  boots,  and  his  legs 
described  a  horseshoe  curve.  Plis  scarlet  coat  was 
scarce  brighter  than  his  cropped  hair,  and  his 
weather-beaten  face  was  as  expressionless  as  if 
carved  in  wood  ;  but  the  hearts  of  our  travelers 


WALES  57 

warmed  to  him  for  his  wondrous  management  of 
his  horses.  No  other  goad  than  a  low  whistle  was 
needed  to  increase  their  speed  to  a  gallop  when  the 
heavy  coach  must  thunder  up  a  hill.  Not  the  least 
of  Britain's  glory  is  that  there  preeminently  one 
sees  horses  treated  as  the  friends  rather  than  the 
enemies  of  man,  —  that  is,  after  the  mutilation  of 
their  tails  has  been  accomplished. 

Past  the  Swallow  Falls  with  their  myriad  rest- 
less white  wings  went  the  coach.  Past  low,  thick 
stone  walls,  moss-cushioned,  while  the  Glaslyn  River 
(plate-Glaslyn,  Edwina  immediately  re-christened 
it)  flowed  clear  and  full  beside  them  as  they  wound 
toward  the  Vale  of  Gwynant,  crown  of  beauty  in 
the  Welsh  landscape.  When  the  coach  reached 
this  spot  it  stopped  in  the  road  that  leads  across 
the  mountain-side.  Below  them  lay  a  vast  emerald 
valley  and  in  its  centre  Glaslyn  Lake,  sparkling 
back  like  a  diamond  to  the  deepening  blue  above. 
Opposite  rose  green  mountains,  tier  on  tier,  over- 
topped by  majestic  Snowdon  ;  and  down  their  sides 
in  steep  foaming  waterfalls  fell  the  rivers,  stream- 
ing lakeward.  So  crystalline  was  the  air,  and  so 
still,  that  the  only  proof  of  the  distance  of  these 
hills  was  the  motionless  silence  of  the  falls  lying 
against  their  green  sides  like  oblong  masses  of 
snow. 

"  No  brush  could  paint  it,  no  words  describe  it," 
murmured  Eunice  with  her  child's  hand  in  hers. 

"  I  'm  glad  we  have  a  poet  in  the  family,"  re- 
turned the  girl.  "  When  are  you  going  to  begin?  " 


58          MISS  PRITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  It  is  a  sight  to  remember  in  trouble,"  went  on 
Eunice.  "  Such  peace  I  have  never  dreamed  of. 
We  can  always  recall  this  in  noisy,  harassing 
places.  We  know  that  up  here,  far  from  any 
dwelling,  is  a  retreat  where  peace  is. 

Vale  of  Gwynant,  happy  valley 
Where  the  sun  is  ever  shining  "  — 

she  paused. 

"  Go  on,  cousin  Eunice  !  "  laughed  Edwina 
softly.  "  You  really  are  catching  the  divine  spark. 
You  can  do  something  fine  with  '  repining '  in  the 
next  line  but  one." 

Miss  Pritchard  laughed  too,  and  blushed  as  the 
coach  rolled  on.  She  wondered  if  it  were  really 
her  little  dull  self,  glowing  and  enjoying  in  this 
new,  old  world. 


CHAPTER  IV 

WINDEKMERE 

"  BUT  you  're  always  going  away  from  places," 
protested  Eunice  plaintively  one  evening  when  Ed- 
wina  announced  that  it  was  time  to  take  up  the 
line  of  march. 

"  And  don't  you  always  like  the  new  one  ?  " 
asked  the  girl. 

They  were  sitting  by  the  still  pool,  a  widening 
of  the  river  Conway,  close  to  the  churchyard,  where 
the  water  falls  into  pensive  mood  and  holds  a  pol- 
ished mirror  to  the  sky.  Gazing  downward  into 
the  liquid  depths  they  could  see  birds  dipping  and 
soaring  above  a  cloud-flecked  firmament,  and  losing 
themselves  in  the  pictured  woods,  in  dream-like 
fashion. 

"  We  do  very  well  here,"  said  Miss  Pritchard, 
looking  wistfully  off  to  where  the  river  again 
flowed  swiftly  as  it  wound  away  beneath  the  over- 
hanging fans  of  the  sycamores.  "  I  doubt  if  we 
find  red  and  white  striped  roses  anywhere  else,  or 
such  low  walls  to  hang  over  and  watch  the  tum- 
bling waterfalls.  Oh  !  I  'm  sure  there 's  no  place 
like  Betsy  !  "  for  in  such  simple  fashion  had  Eunice 
relieved  herself  of  the  attempt  to  pronounce  Bettws- 
y-Coed. 


60          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

A  rabbit  started  up  near  them  and  gazed  big- 
eyed  at  the  pair. 

"  And  of  course  we  shall  never  find  a  cook  like 
Mrs.  Thomas,"  rejoined  Edwina  pensively.  "  There 
is  something  so  ingratiating  in  the  attitude  of  the 
chicken  she  sends  up,  with  its  neat  little  bacon  pan- 
talets, and  its  heart  and  gizzard  tucked  under  its 
arm." 

The  pool  turned  pink.  "  Come,  cousin  Eunice, 
one  more  walk  around  the  meadow." 

They  rose,  and  the  rabbit  vanished  into  its  bur- 
row, only  to  lift  its  big  eyes  once  more  to  watch 
the  intruders  move  down  the  wooded  path  as  they 
sauntered  on  to  meet  the  Llugwy  River,  dancing 
ever  round  its  green  curve,  to  be  lost  in  the  em- 
brace of  the  Conway  and  flow  away  to  the  sea. 

Reluctantly  next  day  the  travelers  slid  out  of 
this  fairyland  down  to  earth  again,  landing  at 
Chester.  Beneath  the  lofty  vault  of  its  cathedral 
Eunice  listened  to  the  angelic  voices  of  the  choir, 
and  with  mounting  tears  gave  thanks  for  her  mani- 
fold blessings.  It  seemed  to  her  that  all  the  nov- 
elty and  recreation  of  a  lifetime  were  being  pressed 
into  these  days  of  kaleidoscopic  variety.  Whether 
marveling  at  the  palatial  wonders  of  Eton  Hall, 
set  in  its  spacious  and  rural  park,  or  leaning  on 
Edwina's  arm  and  wandering  in  the  "  Rows  "  at 
night,  gazing  into  shop-windows,  it  was  all  delight- 
ful. 

One  thing  hard  for  her  to  fathom  was  the  diffi- 
culty in  this  strange,  quaint  land,  of  procuring 


WINDEEMERE  61 

a  drink  of  water.  Often  in  a  restaurant  they 
found  that  the  request  for  this  beverage  created 
confusion  and  dismay;  and  after  an  incredibly 
long  wait,  the  tepid  liquid  that  was  brought  was 
only  an  exasperation.  The  peculiarity  of  English 
taste  was  beginning  to  dawn  upon  Miss  Pritchard. 
"  Think  of  a  land,"  she  exclaimed  with  uplifted 
hands,  "  where  they  always  serve  the  water  warm 
and  the  toast  cold  !  " 

"  But  look  at  their  complexions,"  said  Edwina. 

"  It 's  too  late  for  me  to  think  of  a  complexion. 
I  'd  give  a  dollar  for  a  tumbler  of  ice-water  when  I 
want  it.  There  will  be  comfort  in  getting  back  to 
a  place  where  it  does  n't  require  an  act  of  Congress 
before  you  can  quench  your  thirst." 

"  Oh,  you  are  going  back  some  day,  are  you?" 

"  I  dread  the  very  thought  of  it,"  returned  Eu- 
nice promptly,  "  but  I  really  think  of  hanging  a 
card  around  my  neck  as  they  do  on  dogs :  '  Please 
give  me  a  drink  ! ' ' 

"  They  would  n't  give  you  water  if  you  did," 
remarked  Edwina. 

It  was  on  Lake  Windermere  that  they  found  an 
abiding-place  so  alluring  that  they  lingered  there 
for  weeks.  It  was  an  old  farmhouse  rambling 
among  its  own  flowers,  with  close  green  turf  that 
extended  to  the  water's  edge.  It  had  been  raining 
the  afternoon  of  their  arrival,  but  when  first  the 
lake  came  into  view  the  sun  was  struggling  with 
clouds  behind  the  surrounding  tiers  of  hills,  mak- 
ing marvelous  combinations  of  light  and  shade  on 


62 

foliage  and  water,  while  all  the  air  was  filled  with 
the  scent  of  new-mown  hay. 

After  supper  they  stood  together  on  the  wet  vel- 
vet of  the  turf  where  the  lake  lapped  at  their  feet, 
and  watched  the  sun  sink  toward  the  mountains. 
Eunice,  her  arm  around  her  companion,  uncon- 
sciously hummed  a  little  song.  The  girl  smiled  as 
she  listened.  Her  cousin  had  not  been  wont  to 
sing  in  Boston,  although  she  had  often  talked  of 
her  girlhood  songs  and  the  time  when  she  and  Ed- 
wina's  father  had  sung  in  the  choir  together ;  but 
many  times  on  this  trip  her  feelings  had  found 
vent  in  soft  musical  ebullitions. 

A  pair  of  swans  sailed  toward  them,  with  eager 
eyes,  and  proud  necks  ready  to  unbend  at  the  first 
suggestion  of  bread.  "  Another  time,  you  pretty 
things,"  exclaimed  Edwina,  moved  with  gratitude 
at  the  touch  they  gave  to  the  living,  changing  pic- 
ture she  was  watching. 

"  And  to  think,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  with  a 
happy  sigh,  "  that  we  can  pronounce  the  name  of 
everything  around  here." 

"  Shame,  cousin  Eunice  !  Are  n't  Bettws-y- 
Coed  and  Tan-y-Bwllch  worth  any  amount  of 
trouble  ?  " 

"  That  was  a  cunning  toy  train  we  took  over  the 
slate  mountain  to  Tanny,  was  n't  it  ?  "  returned 
Miss  Pritchard  reminiscently.  "  Look  at  that  sky 
now,  Ned  !  I  should  think  Queen  Victoria  would 
be  the  happiest  woman  in  the  world.  Her  whole 
island  seems  to  be  a  garden." 


WINDERMEBE  63 

"Ladies  !  "  An  apologetic  voice  made  the  couple 
turn,  and  they  saw,  advancing  gingerly  on  the 
pebble  walk,  their  hostess.  She  had  short  black 
hair,  dressed  by  running  a  wet  comb  through  it 
the  wrong  way.  Her  eyes  were  large  and  rolling, 
and  her  lips  down-drawn  at  the  corners.  A  woolen 
shawl  was  wrapped  tightly  about  her. 

"  Oh,  good  evening,  Miss  Harney.  Have  you 
come  out  to  see  this  beautiful  sunset  ?  I  wondered 
that  we  were  the  only  ones." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  ladies,  but  sister  says  as 
how  perhaps  you  don't  know  that  the  evening  hair 
by  the  lake  is  un'olesome." 

"  Oh,  this  pure,  sweet  air,  —  how  can  it  be  ?  " 

"  Sister  sayed  you  had  n't  any  wraps  on,  so  I 
thought  I  'd  name  it." 

"  Thank  you,  Miss  Harney.  We  have  n't  seen 
your  sister  yet,  but  I  suppose  you  told  her  those 
rooms  will  suit  us  very  nicely." 

"  Yes,  miss,  thank  you,  miss.  I  'm  just  going  to 
slop  the  rooms  now  and  they'll  be  quite  ready." 
A  delicate  cough.  "  It  is  damp,  miss,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  She  's  going  to  do  what  ?  "  asked  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  in  a  low  tone  as  the  shawled  figure  went  back 
toward  the  house. 

"  I  don't  know,"  laughed  Edwina,  equally  low. 
"  I  suppose  she  means  to  remove  the  evidence  of 
our  having  washed  our  hands,  and  fill  the  pitchers. 
Will  you  think  of  those  people  we  saw  at  supper 
shutting  themselves  away  from  this  unwholesome 
air?  Oh,  the  loveliness  of  this  beautiful  world, 
and  the  ingratitude  of  folks!" 


64          MISS  PEITCHAED'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

These  two  climbed  into  their  high  beds  that  even- 
ing, blissful  because  for  a  century  of  nights  peo- 
ple had  slept  under  the  same  old  beams  that 
brought  the  ceiling  so  sociably  near  their  recum- 
bent heads. 

"Not  a  bell  last  night,"  said  Edwina  trium- 
phantly when  she  and  Miss  Pritchard  were  seated  at 
breakfast  the  next  morning.  The  clash  and  clamor 
at  Chester  had  forcibly  reminded  them  of  Oxford. 

"  No,"  replied  Eunice,  "  no  bells,  but  swans. 
Miss  Harney,"  for  the  latter  now  entered  with  a 
rack  of  cool  toast,  "  do  the  swans  chatter  loudly 
every  morning  so  early  —  quarter  of  five,  I  think 
it  was?  " 

"  Quarter  of  —  quarter  of  "  —  responded  Miss 
Harney,  rolling  her  eyes  in  respectful  confusion  — 
"  Oh,  you  mean  quarter  to  five,  miss.  I  —  I  hasked 
sister  what  was  to  do  with  the  swans  this  very 
morning,  and  sister  sayed  she  thought  the  ladies 
fed  them  a  good  bit  and  it  made  them  come,  d'  you 
see,  miss  ?  " 

"  You  hear,  Edwina  ?  If  you  feed  those  swans, 
be  sure  and  go  along  the  shore  farther  from  the 
house,"  said  Miss  Pritchard. 

"Such  a  cackling,  wasn't  it?"  put  in  Miss 
Bellair,  a  white-haired  woman  who  sat  next  Ed- 
wina and  spoke  in  the  winning,  confiding  English 
manner.  "  I  think  we  must  all  be  careful  how  we 
encourage  them  ;  but  the  boys  chivy  the  poor  birds 
about  a  good  bit,  and  it  makes  one  feel  like  cod- 
dling them,  doesn't  it?" 


W1NDEBMEEE  65 

Miss  Bellair's  Scotch  friend,  Miss  Erskine,  an 
elderly  woman  with  short  hair  and  skirts,  specta- 
cles and  square  shoes,  completed  the  small  com- 
pany whom  Miss  Harney  entertained  so  early  in 
the  season.  She  was  a  kindly  creature  with  a 
rugged  countenance  which  unconsciously  lighted 
when  her  small  eyes  rested  on  Edwina.  She  had 
talked  a  good  deal  to  the  girl  at  supper  the  even- 
ing before,  with  evident  enjoyment  of  her  youth 
and  fairness. 

"  I  'm  sure,  little  one,  you  've  no  Indian  blood 
in  your  veins,"  she  remarked  now,  and  continued, 
unobservant  of  Eunice's  stare  of  amazement,  "  we 
do  so  often  see  dark  Americans  who  show  the  In- 
dian blood  very  plainly." 

Edwina  attempted  to  explain  that  her  nation  did 
not  intermarry  with  the  Indians,  and  Miss  Bellair 
ejaculated :  "  Fancy  !  "  But  it  was  evident  that 
Miss  Erskine  would  not  at  once  credit  the  state- 
ment. 

"  You  know  the  straight  black  hair  and  aquiline 
nose  are  unmistakable,"  she  returned. 

"  And  have  you  none  in  your  country  ?  "  asked 
Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Not  of  Indian  descent." 

"  And  we  have  n't  either,"  returned  Eunice. 

"  How  good  this  oatmeal  is,"  said  Edwina  has- 
tily. 

"  Passable,"  admitted  Miss  Erskine,  "  but  I  like 
my  oatmeal  full  of  knots,  and  I  like  salt  to  it  al- 
ways." 


66          MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Really  ?  "  ejaculated  Miss  Bellair.  "  Now,  I 
like  mine  so  you  can't  see  the  seeds." 

Miss  Harney  was  lingering  attentively  behind 
the  several  chairs.  "  Sister  says,"  she  put  in, 
"  that  it  is  'ard  to  get  one  dish  of  hoatmeal  to  suit 
hall  tastes." 

"  So  it  is,"  replied  Miss  Erskine  pacifically. 
"  Miss  Harney,  I  've  an  old  gown  that  needs  sort- 
ing. Do  you  know  of  any  one  to  sort  a  dress  ?  " 

"  I  '11  hask  sister.  What  is  to  do,  Miss  Er- 
skine ?  " 

"  Oh,  a   new   braid   and   a  general   sorting  — 
mending  and  that." 

Miss  Harney's  hair  and  eyes  were  all  uplifted 
as  she  left  the  room  repeating :  "  I  '11  hask  sister." 

"  Cousin  Eunice  and  I  must  explore  this  dear 
village  to-day,"  said  Edwina.  "  I  want  to  buy 
some  candy,  too.  I  have  n't  had  any  for  weeks. 
Can  you  tell  me  of  a  good  candy  store  ?  " 

The  two  British  ladies  exchanged  a  look  of 
grave  perplexity,  then  Miss  Bellair  repeated 
gently:  "Candy?" 

"  Yes,  I  'in  tired  of  plain  chocolate.  They  seem 
to  offer  it  to  you  everywhere." 

"  Candy  ?  Oh  !  "  hopefully.  "  Do  you  mean 
sweet-stuff?" 

"  Yes  —  I  suppose  so." 

"  "We  have,"  very  politely,  "  we  have  a  sweet  we 
call  candy.  It  is  very  good  for  coughs  ;  but  that, 
of  course,  is  a  boiled  sweet.  I  prefer  fondant  to 
any  of  the  boiled  sweets,  and  I  fancy  that  is  what 


WINDERMEEE  67 

you  wish.  Miss  Erskine,  do  you  remember  that 
shop  just  over  the  bridge  ?  " 

"  What  like  shop  ?  " 

"  Sweet-stuff  ;  where  that  man  told  us  so 
much  "  — 

"  What  like  man  was  he  ?  " 

«  Well  —  he  —  he  'd  a  squint.  You  '11  find  it," 
turning  to  Edwina,  "  a  very  good  shop,  I  'm  sure. 
I  think  't  will  be  fine  after  all,  though  't  was  bitter 
this  morning.  You  keep  right  up  this  road  and 
cross  the  bridge,  and  then  you  '11  find  all  the 
sweets  a  little  girl  should  have." 

Miss  Pritchard  smiled  unconsciously  as  she  saw 
the  approval  in  the  British  ladies'  eyes  as  they 
both  gazed  pleasantly  at  her  child.  "  I  wish  they 
each  had  an  Edwina,  poor  things,"  she  said  to  her- 
self. 

"  Either  those  folks  don't  talk  English,  or  I 
don't,"  remarked  Eunice  later  when  she  and  Ed- 
wina had  started  on  their  stroll. 

"  But  don't  you  like  to  hear  them  ?  " 

"  Ye-es,  I  don't  object  —  if  they  were  n't  so 
stupid  about  the  Indians." 

"  Oh,  that  rankles  ?  "  laughed  Edwina. 

"  And  why  do  they  dress  like  perfect  frights  ?  " 

"  Because  it  is  their  nature  to.  But  who  cares 
when  they  have  such  pretty  manners  and  that 
little  deferential  'Isn't  it?'  'Doesn't  it?' 
'  Was  n't  it  ? '  at  the  end  of  every  sentence. 
Everything  they  say  makes  me  more  determined 
never  again  to  be  aggressive." 


68          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

All  travelers  in  the  English  lake  country  know 
the  heart-winning  beauty  of  the  places  where  Eu- 
nice and  Edwina  spent  happy  hours  with  the  books 
they  never  read  lying  in  their  laps.  Sometimes  by 
clear  rivers  flowing  under  the  gray  arches  of  an 
old  bridge,  or  tumbling  in  wild  cascades  down  the 
steeps  of  a  hillside  forest.  Sometimes  by  mossy 
rocks  on  the  border  of  a  streamlet  where  huge 
trees  shaded  them,  and  they  watched  the  delicate 
water-birds  at  their  graceful  play.  Each  spot  had 
a  unique  fascination  of  its  own. 

They  coached  through  all  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, bringing  back  every  day  their  enthusiastic 
reports  to  the  sister  boarders,  to  whom  their  re- 
marks were  an  unfailing  source  of  entertainment. 
Miss  Pritchard  had  come  to  feel  at  ease  with  her 
novel  companions,  and  though  association  brought 
to  each  a  greater  complacence  in  her  own  manners 
and  customs,  she  and  the  British  ladies  had  be- 
come very  friendly,  and  neither  side  realized  the 
secret  sense  of  superiority  enjoyed  by  the  other. 

Miss  Bellair  was  stout  and  stayless,  and  wore 
habitually  a  golden-brown  worsted  gown  which  was 
shorter  behind  than  in  front.  Its  full  sleeves  were 
box-pleated  into  its  shapeless  shoulders,  and  the 
collar  was  pinned  at  the  throat  with  a  horseshoe 
of  large  rhinestones.  Across  her  ample  breast  a 
heavy  steel  chain  guarded  the  watch  that  hung  in 
a  pocket  at  one  side.  Miss  Erskine  was  not  far 
behind  her  in  oddity  of  attire,  and  they  both  ad- 
mired very  generously  the  tailor-made  garb  of 


WINDERMERE  69 

their  American  friends,  without  apparently  con- 
sidering for  a  moment  any  possible  change  in  their 
own  methods.  They  were  usually  sitting  on  the 
lawn  under  one  of  the  semicircle  of  elm-trees  when 
the  tourists  returned  from  their  expeditions,  and 
were  ready  and  eager  to  hear  an  account  of  their 
day. 

Miss  Erskine  interrupted  Edwina's  talk  one 
afternoon  with  an  apologetic  laugh  and  a  glance 
at  her  friend.  "  You  do  use  such  strange  expres- 
sions," she  said.  "  How  funny  to  have  a  4  lovely 
time'  at  Ulls water !  " 

"  What  other  sort  could  you  have  ?  "  returned 
Edwina  from  her  low  grassy  seat. 

"But,  Miss  Erskine,"  put  in  Miss  Bellair, 
"  surely  you  remember  the  American  lady  who 
was  here  every  week's  end  with  her  husband  last 
summer.  She  was  always  having  'an  elegant 
time.' " 

Edwina  laughed  with  them,  while  Eunice  lis- 
tened doubtfully.  "  Well,  we  've  had  a  lovely 
time,  and  an  elegant  time  —  both,"  declared  the 
girl,  "  and  on  the  boat  at  Ullswater  there  were  so 
many  cunning  English  children." 

Miss  Bellair  and  Miss  Erskine  sobered.  "  Cun- 
ning ?  "  repeated  the  latter.  "  What  had  the  chil- 
dren been  doing  ?  " 

"  Why,  nothing ;  but  they  seem  always  pretty. 
Perhaps  it  is  the  way  they  are  dressed ;  but  I 
think  English  children  are  the  cunningest  I  ever 
saw  out  of  a  picture." 


70          MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  O-h !  I  supposed,  of  course,  you  meant  they 
were  crafty." 

"  Don't  you  call  children  cunning?"  asked  Eu- 
nice, amazed. 

"  Not  if  they  are  n't,  you  know.  Not  if  they  're 
good  little  children." 

"  You  don't  say  so !  " 

"  How  do  you  get  on  without  it  ?  "  asked  Ed- 
wina,  much  entertained  by  this  brush  between  Old 
and  New  England.  "  See  this  tiny  watch  of 
mine.  I  call  it  a  cunning  watch." 

"  Fancy !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Bellair.  "  I  would 
say  it 's  a  neat  watch  —  a  pretty  watch." 

The  girl  shook  her  head.  "  It 's  not  the  same. 
I  can't  spare  '  cunning.'  Well,  what  have  you 
been  doing  to-day  ?  " 

"  I  ?  Oh,  I  've  bean  a  drive  too.  A  neighbor 
came  to  fetch  Miss  Erskine  and  me  to  the  chari- 
table society.  They  are  making  garments  for  the 
poor  for  next  winter." 

Miss  Erskine  gave  a  sniff  of  disdain.  "  And 
the  Tammies !  Such  awful-like  Tammies  they 
were  making :  too  small  for  a  kitten's  head  !  And 
one  old  woman  wearying  us  with  her  talk." 

"Ah,"  said  Miss  Bellair,  "  that  would  be  Mrs. 
Smith." 

"  Yes,  and  I  've  heard  her  before.  She 's  a 
thorn  in  my  side,  that  old  woman ;  bound  by  the 
traditions  of  the  elders  !  " 

"Some  of  the  ladies,"  explained  Miss  Bellair, 
"  were  talking  of  the  Pope  allowing  the  priests  in 
South  America  to  marry.  Only  fancy  !  " 


WINDEEMEEE  71 

"  Why  not  ?  "  responded  Miss  Erskine,  whose 
combativeness  seemed  to  have  been  roused  by  the 
afternoon's  meeting.  "  Did  n't  Peter,  the  head  of 
the  church,  have  a  wife's  mother  ?  She  was  sick 
of  a  fever,  poor  body.  And  did  you  see,  Miss 
Bellair,  how  Mrs.  Price  and  her  daughter  were  fair 
ready  to  fight  over  the  tea  ?  The  old  woman  had 
to  wait  for  hers  till  she  was  pale  with  rage,  and  the 
two  glared  at  each  other  as  they  would  like  to 
scratch  each  other's  faces." 

"Now,  now,  Miss  Erskine,"  said  Miss  Bellair 
soothingly,  "  never  mind.  I  heard  a  good  riddle 
to-day.  You  can  all  be  guessing:  Why  is  the 
Queen  like  Scotch  weather  ?  " 

Miss  Erskine  resumed  the  knitting  she  had 
dropped.  "  Because,"  she  hazarded,  "  because 
she 's  —  changeable  ?  " 

"  Ah,  now,"  reproachfully,  "  you  would  n't  say 
that  of  our  Queen  !  " 

"  H'm,"  rejoined  Miss  Erskine  cautiously. 
"  She 's  a  decent  body." 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Edwina,  "  it 's  something  about 
raining." 

Miss  Bellair  directed  an  admiring  look  at  the 
sunny  hair  and  clear  eyes.  "  That 's  very  clever, 
my  dear.  You  're  very  near  it." 

"  But  you  '11  have  to  tell  us,  I  'm  sure,"  said 
Miss  Pritchard. 

Miss  Bellair  gave  a  pleased  little  nod.  "  Well, 
then,  it 's  because  she  keeps  on  reigning  and  reign- 
ing and  reigning,  and  never  gives  the  son  a  chance." 


72         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

The  Americans  applauded,  and  Miss  Bellair's 
pleased  expression  changed  to  one  of  pain  as  she 
clapped  her  hand  to  her  cheek.  "  Such  twinges 
as  me  tooth  gives  me  to-day !  " 

Miss  Pritchard  exclaimed  sympathetically.  She 
and  Edwina  had  marveled  many  a  time  at  the 
frail,  dark,  or  false  teeth  in  the  average  English 
mouth ;  and  Eunice's  involuntary  thought  was : 
"  I  'm  glad  she  has  one  of  her  own  left  to  ache, 
poor  thing  ! " 

"  It 's  a  tooth  I  had  scraped  and  stuffed  last 
winter,"  explained  Miss  Bellair,  "  and  now  some- 
thing ails  it.  It 's  very  tiresome." 

"  They  're  always  tiresome  —  teeth,"  remarked 
Miss  Erskine.  "  I  had  a  frightful  toothache  once, 
and  I  stopped  it  myself.  It  was  very  wrong  of  me, 
was  n't  it  ?  " 

She  fixed  Eunice  with  her  gaze,  and  Miss 
Pritchard  did  n't  know  what  to  reply,  stopping 
the  toothache  seeming  rather  laudable  to  her. 

"  I  stopped  it  with  gutta  percha ;  but  it  hurt  me 
worse  than  ever  ;  so  I  took  the  stuff  out  with  a  hat- 
pin and  put  in  wadding.  I  'm  very  unlucky  with 
my  teeth,"  she  went  on,  knitting  busily.  "  Stumps 
are  of  some  use,  but  I  can't  even  have  stumps,  as 
so  many  people  can.  They  always  decay." 

Meanwhile  Miss  Bellair  had  been  looking  into 
space  and  poking  with  her  finger  around  her  of- 
fending molar.  At  last  she  brought  to  view  a 
small  black  lump. 

"  There  's  the  stuffing  from  me  tooth  !  "  she 
announced. 


WINDEEMEBE  73 

"  How  teasing !  "  commented  her  friend. 

Edwina,  feeling  a  shade  hysterical,  hastened  to 
speak.  "  It  is  such  an  awful  way  to  spend  money  — 
on  dentists  and  doctors,"  she  remarked. 

"  Doctors !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Erskine.  "  I  'm 
never  without  one  for  my  neuralgia,  nor  have  been 
this  twenty  years." 

"  Does  n't  it  vex  you  to  spend  so  much  money 
that  way  ?  " 

"  Not  a  cent,  my  dear,  does  it  cost  me.  My 
father  was  a  physician,  and  they  charge  me  no- 
thing. If  they  did,  I  should  have  spent  all  my 
substance,  like  the  woman  in  the  Bible  —  poor  de- 
cent body !  " 

There  was  an  old  piano  in  the  farmhouse,  and 
upon  Miss  Harney's  hasking  Sister,  it  was  discov- 
ered that  Sister  sayed  she  would  be  pleased  to  have 
it  used  ;  and  Edwina  found  a  delighted  audience, 
uncritical  of  the  piano's  failings  as  well  as  her  own. 

"  Chopin  is  all  very  well,"  said  Miss  Erskine 
after  Edwina  had  played  one  of  the  Nocturnes, 
"but  do  play  something  vulgar.  I  like  vulgar 
music  best." 

Upon  which  the  girl  began  with  gusto  playing 
American  coon  songs,  which  called  forth  rapturous 
approval,  Miss  Erskine  protesting  at  each  new  air 
that  she  remembered  it  well,  it  being  a  reel  which 
her  mother  had  played  when  she  was  a  child. 

"  Why,  no ! "  said  Miss  Pritchard,  thinking  to 
explain ;  but  Edwina  shook  her  head,  and  so  Miss 
Erskine  knitted  on  and  tapped  her  foot  to  the 


74         MISS  PEITCHARWS   WEDDING   TEIP 

marked  rhythm  and  continued  to  recognize  and  be 
happy  in  reels  of  her  childhood,  dating  from  the 
"  Golden  Slippers  "  down  to  the  latest  favorite  of 
the  American  street. 

"  Does  your  tooth  feel  better,  Miss  Bellair  ?  ' 
asked  Eunice  that  evening  as  they  were  parting. 

"Oh,  yes,  thanks.  The  back  has  broken  off, 
and  it  will  be  quite  right  now,"  was  the  cheerful 
response. 

"  Here  comes  Miss  Harney,"  said  Edwina,  as 
she  and  Miss  Pritchard  sat  under  an  elm-tree  darn- 
ing stockings  the  next  morning.  "  What  do  you 
suppose  Sister  has  sayed  now :  that  there 's  dew 
on  the  grass,  and  that  it 's  very  un'olesome  to  be 
sitting  in  it  ?  " 

Sister  still  remained,  after  the  passage  of  a  fort- 
night, an  invisible  oracle,  and  Edwina's  curiosity 
concerning  her  could  scarcely  be  restrained. 

"  Good-morning,  Miss  Harney.  We  were  just 
saying  what  a  fortunate  woman  you  are  to  have 
this  dear  old  homestead.  I  don't  know  how  we 
are  ever  going  to  get  strength  enough  of  mind  to 
leave  it." 

Miss  Harney  looked  pleased.  The  lugubrious 
corners  of  her  mouth  often  in  these  days  presented 
less  contrast  to  her  uplifted  hair  and  eyes.  She 
liked  her  foreign  boarders.  "  Well,  miss,  I  sayed 
to  sister  we  never  'ad  ladies  that  gave  less 
trouble." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  Miss  Harney.  I  never  tire  of 
looking  at  the  low  roof,  —  how  it  cuddles  under  the 


WINDERMERE  75 

very  lowest  branches  of  these  towering  elms,"  said 
Edwina. 

"  Yes.  Sister  says  our  helm-trees  are  as  fine  as 
any  on  the  lake ;  but  she  likes  hash-trees  better 
'erself.  Sister  sayed  only  this  morning  there  was 
nothing  like  a  havenue  of  hash-trees  for  making  a 
'andsome  harch." 

"'M.     Indeed?" 

"  Yes,  ladies.  I  came  to  speak  about  dinner. 
I  hasked  sister  if  she  thought  you  might  like  it  if 
we  'd  a  different  sort  of  bread.  There  's  so  much 
crust  and  so  little  crumb  to  that  we  'ave." 

Edwina,  seeing  her  cousin  incapable  of  reply, 
spoke :  "  Do  whatever  you  like  about  the  white 
bread,  so  long  as  you  keep  on  with  the  Hovis." 

"  Thank  you,  miss ;  and  about  dessert,  miss. 
Sister  sayed  you  might  like  a  shape  for  a  change. 
We  'd  a  good  many  tarts  lately." 

"  A  —  I "  —  hesitated  Edwina. 

"  I  hasked  sister,"  Miss  Harney's  lips  drooped 
and  her  eyes  sought  the  treetops,  "  'ow  the  cake 
came  to  be  sad  last  night ;  and  sister  sayed  that 
haccidents  will  'appen,  and  they  will,  won't  they, 
miss  ?  " 

"  Don't  distress  yourself  about  us,"  said  Edwina, 
smiling. 

"  Sister  says,"  fervently,  "  it 's  'er  haim  to 
please.  It 's  both  our  haims,  miss." 

"  I  'm  sure  it  is,  and  everything  is  very  nice  ; 
but  you  were  speaking  of  tarts,  Miss  Harney.  I 
do  think  there  's  too  much  of  one  thing  in  England, 
and  that  is  gooseberries." 


76         MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Really,  miss  ?  Thank  you  for  naming  it. 
Then  I  '11  hask  sister  to  'ave  a  shape  to-day." 

The  two  tourists  exchanged  glances  when  Miss 
Harney,  her  mind  lightened  of  its  load  of  the 
heavy  cake,  had  gone  back  to  the  house. 

"Isn't  it  all  fun?"  exclaimed  Edwina  softly. 
"  I  suppose  a  shape  must  be  blanc-mange  or  some- 
thing in  a  mould.  Hurry  up  with  that  last  stock- 
ing, Eunice,  my  love.  We  have  a  lot  of  business 
before  us  to-day."  Edwina  drove  her  own  needle 
rapidly.  "  The  steamer  around  the  lake,  a  canoe 
for  me  to  explore  in,  if  you  '11  promise  not  to 
worry." 

"  Ned,  don't !  Please  don't,  dear,  —  all  alone  !  " 
Eunice  dropped  her  stocking. 

Edwina  shrugged  her  shoulders  mutinously. 

Miss  Pritchard  made  a  remarkable  concession. 
"  On  your  wedding  trip  you  can  go  canoeing. 
He  '11  be  there  to  take  care  of  you.  This,"  — 
Eunice  laughed,  —  "  remember,  this  is  mine." 

Edwina  looked  at  her  cousin's  face,  —  rosy,  and 
younger,  it  seemed  to  her,  than  when  she  had  first 
seen  it  more  than  a  decade  ago  ;  and  the  intense 
tenderness  she  often  felt  for  her  mysterious  loss 
and  suffering  came  over  the  girl. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  I  must  submit ;  but  to  which 
particular  incarnation  of  all  selfishness  are  you 
going  to  give  me  ?  " 

"  To  nobody  we  've  seen  yet,"  returned  Miss 
Pritchard  promptly.  "  Let 's  not  think  of  him," 
and  she  began  to  sing  :  — 


WINDERMERE  77 

" '  Let 's  be  happy  while  we  may: 

Banish  gloom  and  sadness. 
Grief  may  come  another  day; 
Now  we  welcome  gladness.'  " 

"  I  declare,"  laughed  Edwina,  "  of  late  you  have 
a  song  for  every  occasion." 

"  Do  you  remember  your  father's  singing,  Ned?" 

"  No,  I  'm  afraid  I  don't." 

"  He  had  the  best  voice  in  our  town,"  remarked 
Eunice  simply  ;  and  Edwina,  though  she  did  n't  in 
the  least  believe  it,  loved  her  so  much  that  she 
took  the  stocking  from  her  hand  and  finished  it  for 
her,  —  great  proof  of  affection  on  Miss  Wilder's 
part. 

"  Come,  little  one,  have  your  fortune  told,"  said 
Miss  Erskine  after  supper  that  evening.  She  was 
shuffling  the  cards  at  a  small  table,  while  Miss 
Bellair  sat  near. 

"  She  's  just  wonderful,"  said  the  latter.  "  She 's 
the  Scotch  second  sight,  I  do  believe.  She  's  just 
promised  me  a  splendid  present  of  a  gold  watch- 
chain." 

"  What  a  mercy  that  would  be ! "  thought 
Edwina. 

"  Tell  cousin  Eunice's  first,  won't  you?  " 

"  Certainly,  we  will  tell  them  all,"  said  Miss  Er- 
skine ;  and  she  dealt  the  cards  in  little  groups,  face 
up,  and  proceeded  with  the  usual  hints  of  the  past 
and  promises  for  the  future. 

Eunice  bore  with  equanimity  being  told  that  she 
had  experienced  a  love  affair  from  which  she  had 


78         MISS  PEITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

had  a  fortunate  escape  ;  but  when  it  came  to  hear- 
ing that  Edwina  was  soon  to  have  a  letter  from  a 
dark  man  who  was  very  sad  on  account  of  her  ab- 
sence, she  writhed  in  her  chair.  Ralph  Glenn  was 
dark. 

"  I  don't  like  fortune-telling  !  "  she  remarked 
curtly. 

Miss  Erskine  laughed  good-naturedly.  "You 
think  't  is  all  havers ;  but  wait  till  the  little  one 
gets  that  present  ye  see  there.  It  would  be  a 
grand  gown,  perhaps,  —  or  a  jewel." 

"  Cousin  Eunice  knows  she  would  have  to  be 
the  one  to  give  it  to  me  ;  that  does  n't  comfort 
her  any.  No,  we  can't  have  an"  gowns  and  jewels. 
The  customs  are  such  a  bother." 

"  But  you  '11  have  no  trouble  going  to  France, 
and  you  don't  carry  too  much  tea  over  nor  bring 
too  much  tobacco  back." 

"  I  like  one  just  about  as  well  as  the  other,"  re- 
marked the  girl. 

"  There  's  a  deal  of  clever  smuggling,  though," 
said  Miss  Erskine.  "  I  knew  of  a  woman  who  'd 
an  imitation  dog  that  she  filled  with  things  and 
carried  a  long  time  before  she  was  found  out." 

Edwina  nodded.  "  I  heard  of  a  woman  who 
carried  a  baby  through  in  the  same  way." 

Miss  Bellair  dropped  her  knitting.  "  Fancy  !  " 
she  ejaculated,  gazing  at  the  speaker.  "  I  never 
knew  there  was  a  duty  on  babies !  " 

Miss  Erskine  explained,  and  Edwina,  ashamed 
of  her  own  sudden  laughter,  changed  the  subject. 


WINDERMERE  79 

"  There  are  four  of  us,"  she  said.  "  Let 's  play 
whist." 

"  I  can't  abide  whist,"  declared  Miss  Erskine, 
absently  shuffling  her  cards. 

"  Do  you  know  the  game  ?  " 

"  Ah,"  leniently.  "  I  've  a  dim  twinkle  of  it. 
It 's  just  capers." 

"  Then  let  us  all  go  out  and  see  the  moon  rise." 

"  'T  will  be  damp  now,"  objected  Miss  Bellair. 

"  Why,  the  sun  has  scarcely  set.  See,  it  is  still 
quite  light.  Cousin  Eunice  and  I  are  going. 
You  'd  better  come." 

The  two  British  ladies  looked  doubtfully  wist- 
ful ;  the  girl's  elastic  youth  and  vivacious,  pretty 
face  fascinated  them.  Why  was  not  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  properly  in  awe  of  evening  damp  ?  The  latter 
looked  kindly  upon  them.  Their  open  admiration 
of  her  child  warmed  her  heart,  and  though  she 
would  have  much  preferred  to  ramble  alone  with 
Edwina,  she  added  her  persuasion,  and  the  conse- 
quence was  that,  much  shawled  as  to  shoulders 
and  wrapped  as  to  head,  they  dared  the  twilight 
beauty  of  the  lake  shore,  where  the  orange  light 
still  glimmered  behind  the  hills. 

"  Would  n't  it  be  fun  if  we  could  meet  Sister?  " 
said  Edwina  as  she  moved  on  beside  Miss  Erskine. 
"  Don't  you  suppose  at  this  hour  she  might  inspect 
her  estate?  " 

"  Oh,  do  you  mean  the  elder  Miss  Harney  ? 
Have  you  not  seen  her  yet  ?  " 

"  Never.     Why,  have  you  ?  "  eagerly. 


80         MISS  PRITCIIARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Ah,  once,  over  the  fence." 

"  Then  there  is  such  a  person.  I  began  to  think 
England  might  be  full  of  Mrs.  Harrises." 

"Eh?  No,  she  's  Mrs.  Nobody — just  plain 
Miss  Harney.  She  's  a  decent  body.  They  've 
their  own  pride,  you  see.  She  cooks  and  works 
hard,  and  just  slips  on  a  good  frock  to  run  out 
maybe  to  prayer-meeting  or  the  like ;  so  her  sister 
meets  the  boarders  and  waits  on  them.  'T  is  their 
division  of  labor." 

"  You  think  we  're  all  so  disagreeable,  it  's  a 
fair  one  ?  "  laughed  the  girl.  "  Oh,  dear,  lovely 
Windermere,"  she  exclaimed,  gazing  over  the  lake. 
"  Why  do  we  have  to  go  away !  " 

"  Me  dear,"  solemnly,  "  Miss  Pritchard  should 
forbid  your  coming  out  in  that  blouse  —  and  no- 
thing on  your  head." 

"  My  wig  is  thick,  you  see." 

Miss  Erskine  gazed,  narrowing  her  eyes,  at  the 
fair  thick  waves  of  hair  framing  the  expressive 
face.  "  Ye  never  mean  —  ye  're  chaffing !  " 

"  Yes,  I  'm  chaffing,  and  I  'm  warm.  Let  us  all 
go  around  to  that  clump  of  trees." 

The  Lady  Moon  lifted  her  pale,  fair  face  into 
view  above  the  hollow  of  a  hill,  and  all  the  lake 
trembled  and  sparkled  in  gladness.  Miss  Erskine 
and  Miss  Bellair  forgot  hygiene  for  the  moment, 
and  in  the  shelter  of  the  foliage  gazed  with  plea- 
sure at  their  surroundings.  Edwina  skipped  lightly 
upon  a  rock  round  which  the  ripples  broke,  and  from 
which  she  could  see  her  cousin  wander  alone  along 


WINDERMERE  81 

the  shore  and  pause,  her  face  toward  the  peaceful 
loveliness  of  sky,  hills,  and  water.  The  girl  could 
hear  the  murmur  of  song  that  came  unconsciously 
from  her  lips,  and  note  the  pensive  sweetness  of 
her  smile  as  she  stood  long,  looking,  thinking, 
singing,  forgetful  of  her  companions.  That  picture 
of  cousin  Eunice  remained  in  the  girl's  heart  for 
many  a  year. 

Days  afterward   Miss    Pritchard  found  folded 
between  the  leaves  of  her  diary  these  verses  :  — 

BY  WINDERMERE 

Aloof  she  stood  among  the  trees 
Like  one  who  some  sweet  vision  sees; 
The  sunset's  glow  still  shimmered  clear, 
The  moon  had  ris'n  on  Windermere. 

She  faced  the  wooded  mountains  steep 
Where  watch  about  the  lake  they  keep, 
Then  soft  tones  fell  upon  the  ear, 
And  Eunice  sang  by  Windermere. 

She  sang  of  waves  and  whitening  sails, 
Of  trusting  love  that  never  fails; 
Of  Nature's  beauty,  —  all  the  while 
Upon  her  lips  a  pensive  smile. 

The  moonlight  touched  her  silvered  hair; 
Her  thoughts  had  fled  we  knew  not  where, 
As  soft  she  sang  by  Windermere 
The  songs  of  many  a  vanished  year. 

In  days  to  come,  at  sunset's  glow 
Again  will  sound  that  singing  low, 


82         MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

And  I  shall  see  those  blessed  eyes 

Look  far  beyond  the  evening  skies. 

Ah  !  then  may  Heaven's  own  peace  draw  near, 

As  on  that  night  by  Windermere. 


CHAPTER  V 

SCOTLAND 

NATURE  makes  a  crescendo  of  beauty  from 
Windermere  to  Derwent  Water,  and  thence  in- 
creases through  the  Scotch  lakes  until  at  Loch 
Katrine  the  climax  is  reached.  This  trip  was  all 
enjoyed  by  our  travelers  under  the  best  circum- 
stances. 

Miss  Harney  bade  them  farewell  with  almost 
tearful  unction,  and  Miss  Pritchard  remarked  that 
she  should  be  glad  to  say  good-by  to  her  sister. 
At  this  Miss  Harney's  eyes  sought  the  clouds. 
"  I  hasked  sister  if  she  would  n't  just  step  here ; 
but  she  sayed  to  give  you  her  respects,  as  she  was 
busy  just  this  minute  with  her  shape.  I  sayed  to 
sister  this  morning  early  when  it  was  foggy  that 
the  very  hatmosphere  was  weeping  because  you 
were  going,  and  sister  sayed  quite  so,  but  it  would 
burn  hoff,  which  it  will,  and  good-by,  ladies." 

The  travelers  responded  to  the  waved  salutations 
of  their  fellow-boarders,  each  framed  by  a  protect- 
ing window  above  stairs,  for  there  were  still 
traces  of  mist  in  the  air  ;  then  the  coach  with  its 
four  horses  and  scarlet-coated  driver  came  dashing 
along  under  the  trees.  The  luggage  was  put 


84         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

aboard,  they  climbed  up  the  ladder,  and  off  and 
away  they  went  from  lovely  Windermere,  while  the 
mist-veil  lifted  fast. 

The  driver's  round,  red,  jolly  face  was  often 
turned  to  them  as  the  only  Americans  who  hap- 
pened to  be  on  the  well-filled  coach.  He  enter- 
tained all  his  party  with  the  ease  of  a  raconteur  of 
seventeen  years'  experience. 

Past  Rydal  Water  and  Thirlmere  and  Grasmere, 
with  all  their  wealth  of  poetical  association,  they 
drove ;  then  up,  up  to  the  tiny  Wytheburn  church 
at  the  summit  of  Dunmail  Raise,  where  every  one 
dismounted  to  read  on  its  walls  what  the  great 
poets  have  written  in  praise  of  the  miniature  house 
of  God.  Near  this  spot  was  a  large  pile  of  rocks. 
When  the  coach  had  started  again,  the  driver  indi- 
cated this  strange  monument  with  his  thumb. 

"  Ye  see  the  cairn  yonder.  Some  say  King 
Dunmail  lies  buried  there ;  but  some  others  that 
the  Devil  himself  was  speeding  across  with  a  large 
sack  of  stones  one  time,  and  it  broke  right  there. 
The  last  time  'e  was  ever  in  the  Lake  Country," 
added  the  driver  pensively  ;  then  he  turned,  and 
his  twinkling  eyes  rested  on  Eunice  and  Edwina. 
"  They  do  say  'e  's  gone  to  America." 

It  was  a  wild  country  of  solitary  loveliness 
through  which  the  coach  now  wound  its  way.  A 
weather-beaten  little  house  above  on  a  hilltop  was 
pointed  out  by  the  driver  as  his  seat  of  learning. 
"  Ye  can  see  it 's  a  'igh  school,"  he  remarked.  "  I 
was  born  on  a  farm  'ereabouts,  and  that  yonder," 


SCOTLAND  85 

pointing  to  a  small  lonely  building  on  a  far  hill, 
"  was  the  church  that  was  attended  by  all  the  folk 
for  five  mile  far  and  near.  But  it  was  'ard  to  get 
a  congregation !  "  He  shook  his  jolly  head.  "  I 
always  went,  of  course,  but  the  clergyman  refused 
to  preach  to  less  than  three ;  beside  'e  knew  I  was 
such  a  good  boy,  'e  used  to  send  me  'ome.  But 
one  Sunday  morning  I  remember  well  the  minister 
came  to  the  tavern  and  said  'e  must  'ave  a  congre- 
gation, for  'e  'ad  to  publish  banns.  The  'ole  crowd 
wanted  to  know  whose  banns  ;  but  the  clergyman 
would  n't  tell  them,  so  they  up  and  followed  'im  to 
church  to  find  out  who  was  going  to  be  married  !  " 

Arrived  in  Keswick,  Eunice  and  Edwina  after 
dinner  drove  to  the  disappointing  Falls  of  Lodore, 
and  then  around  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  Eng- 
lish lakes.  The  charms  of  Derwent  Water  were 
still  vividly  with  them  when  days  later  they  stepped 
upon  the  boat  at  Balloch  Pier  on  Loch  Lomond. 

The  day  was  cloudless ;  the  heather  beginning 
to  bloom  on  the  mountain  sides  ;  the  free,  inspiring 
air  was  intoxicating.  "  It 's  different,  different," 
said  Edwina,  delightedly  gazing  at  the  changing 
views  of  the  grand  mountain  steeps.  "  It  is  n't 
cosy  any  more,  like  England." 

"  What 's  that  noise  ?  "  exclaimed  Eunice. 

"  Bagpipes.  Come."  Edwina  sprang  up  and 
led  her  cousin  to  where  they  could  see  the  players, 
a  man  and  girl  in  Scottish  dress.  Their  costumes 
were  handsome,  and  they  wore  many  medals.  The 
girl  was  bewitching.  Her  plaid  blew  in  the  breeze. 


86         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Her  hair  waved  under  the  jaunty  Tarn  as  her  rose- 
bud mouth  closed  on  the  pipe,  and  her  easy,  grace- 
ful air  as  she  tapped  her  buckled  shoe  in  time  with 
the  rhythm  of  the  familiar  air  charmed  the  be- 
holders. 

"  She 's  a  picture  if  she  'd  only  stop  that  squeal- 
ing," commented  Miss  Pritchard.  "  I  'd  give  them 
a  shilling  gladly  if  they  'd  keep  still  and  let  me 
look  at  them." 

"  I  wonder  if  they  will  take  money,"  said 
Edwina. 

"  You  do ! "  ejaculated  her  cousin  scornfully. 
She  was  still  smarting  from  the  demand  of  extra 
sixpences  by  youths  whom  she  had  feed  that  morn- 
ing according  to  Baedeker. 

However,  Edwina  watched  when  the  tune  was 
done,  and  saw  that  not  only  did  the  couple  not  ask 
for  money,  but  when  a  shilling  was  offered  the  man 
by  one  of  the  passengers,  he  courteously  declined. 
Then  Edwina  approached  the  girl,  who  with  modest 
pride  answered  her  questions,  showed  her  hand- 
some bagpipes,  and  explained  the  different  medals 
with  which  her  velvet  bodice  was  hung.  One  of 
these,  she  said  naively,  meant  the  best  player  in 
Scotland.  Another  she  had  won  at  Partick  in  a 
competition  with  twenty-five  pipers. 

At  the  next  stop  the  pipers  left  the  boat,  and 
though  Edwina  dilated  on  their  skill  and  impor- 
tance, Eunice  declared  her  joy  at  their  departure, 
for  they  had  been  complaisant  as  to  playing  up  to 
the  end. 


SCOTLAND  87 

"  But  think  of  the  local  color,  and  how  charac- 
teristic it  was,"  said  Edwina,  clasping  the  Scotch 
plaid  miniature  copy  of  "  The  Lady  of  the  Lake  " 
she  had  secured  at  Glasgow. 

"  So  is  Ben  Lomond/'  returned  Eunice  dreamily, 
"  and  so  are  the  gulls  and  the  rocks  and  the  waves. 
How  lovely  to  lean  back  and  watch  them  quietly !  " 

As  they  sat  in  silence  but  for  the  swish  of  waves 
and  breeze,  a  party  of  men  and  women  at  the  end 
of  the  boat  began  softly  to  sing  "  Loch  Lomond." 
Eunice  and  Edwina  exchanged  a  look  of  pleasure. 

'"  Oh,  ye  '11  tak'  the  high  road, 
And  I  '11  tak'  the  low  road, 
And  I  '11  be  in  Scotland  afore  ye. 
But  me  and  my  true  love, 
We  '11  never  meet  again 
On  the  bonny,  bonny  banks  of  Loch  Lomond." 

It  was  at  Inversnaid  that  they  left  the  boat  and 
went  up  to  the  hotel  nestling  in  the  wooded  hill- 
side beside  a  steep,  musical  waterfall.  In  the  late 
afternoon  they  threaded  their  way  among  the  fern- 
beset  forest  paths  along  the  shore,  with  ever  wilder 
and  lovelier  views  of  lake  and  jutting  crag  break- 
ing upon  their  delighted  vision. 

The  song  had  been  floating  through  Eunice's 
head  all  the  afternoon,  and  as  she  stood  now  on  a 
point  of  rock,  her  arm  slipped  through  Edwina' s, 
and  her  child's  hand  in  hers,  the  scene  brought  it 
to  her  afresh. 

"  The  wee  birdie  sings  and  the  wild  flowers  spring, 
And  in  sunshine  the  waters  are  sleeping  ; 


88         MISS  PKITCHAKVS   WEDDING  TRIP 

But  the  broken  heart  it  kens  nae  second  spring  again, 
Though  the  waefu'  may  cease  frae  their  greeting." 

She  smoothed  her  child's  hand  silently  as  the  song 
sung  itself.  Long,  long  years  since,  she  had  ceased 
greeting.  One  broken  heart  had  known  a  second 
spring,  and  felt  nothing  but  tenderness,  nothing 
but  thankfulness. 

The  next  morning  the  travelers  mounted  the 
coach,  finding  places  near  the  driver,  whose  Scotch 
reserve  melted  when  Edwina,  soon  after  the  start, 
made  a  lucky  reference  to  the  pipers  on  yesterday's 
boat.  His  pleasant  weather-beaten  face  lighted 
with  enthusiasm  as  he  regarded  her.  He  knew  of 
"that  lady,"  and  was  eager  to  hear  her.  He 
smiled  when  Edwina  mentioned  her  doubt  as  to 
offering  the  players  money,  and  explained  that 
when  pipers  accept  money  on  the  street  or  in  such 
situations  as  yesterday's,  they  are  no  longer  eligible 
to  take  part  in  competitions.  This  couple  had 
been  on  their  way  to  some  competition,  and  it  was 
evident  that  the  driver  considered  that  these 
Americans  had  been  blessed  beyond  their  deserts, 
inasmuch  as  the  pipers  had  happened  upon  their 
boat.  Eunice  recalled  the  blaring  monotony  of 
the  man's  accompaniment  and  the  persistent  shrill- 
ing of  the  girl's  melodies,  but  wisely  held  her 
peace. 

The  coach  mounted  higher  and  higher,  and  the 
ladies  nestled  in  their  golf  capes  while  admiring 
what  the  driver  called  the  "  pretty  scennery." 

"  This  cold   air  is  good    for  the    horses,"    said 


SCOTLAND  89 

Edwina,  who  always  had  an  eye  to  the  laborious 
pulls  uphill,  of  which  there  were  many  on  this 
steep  drive. 

"  Yes,  the  heat  is  varra  kullin'  on  them,  varra 
kullin',"  was  the  response. 

High  above  the  hilltops  ran  the  telegraph  wires, 
hung  at  frequent  intervals  with  little  squares  of 
wood  that  the  grouse  might  see,  and  be  spared 
from  killing  themselves  as  they  flew  over. 

At  last  Stronachlachar  was  reached,  and  on  the 
shores  of  Loch  Katrine  Eunice  and  Edwina  sat 
down  to  wait  for  the  boat,  and  read  on  in  "  The 
Lady  of  the  Lake."  Every  captain  and  coach 
driver  in  that  region  knows  the  poem  from  cover  to 
cover.  It  is  the  best  of  guide-books  to  the  beauties 
of  the  Trossachs.  The  captain  of  their  boat  to-day 
was  a  didactic  and  deliberate  Scotchman  who  had 
grown  old  in  the  service  of  enlightening  tourists, 
and  whose  oracular  speech  seemed  in  contrast  to 
the  unfettered,  lavish  beauty  of  the  wild  shores  he 
apostrophized.  By  the  time  Ellen's  Isle  was  reached 
he  was  surrounded  by  a  respectful  audience. 

"  'T  is  Ellen's  Isle  yonder,  and  in  the  small 
space  ye  '11  find'for'rty  varieties  of  trees,  the  seeds 
having  been  transpor'rted  there  be  the  bir'rds. 
Across,"  pointing,  "  ye  '11  see  the  silver  str'rand 
where  Fitz-James  fir'rst  saw  Ellen  Douglas. 
Walter  Scott  tells  it  pr'retty  well,  pr'retty  well,  — 
though  poets  do  polish  up  a  bit." 

Some  one  expressed  a  fear  that  the  thinly  over- 
spread sky  threatened  rain.  The  captain  stared 
straight  before  him. 


90         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Yesterday  't  was  war'rm.  Folks  were  groom- 
blin'  at  the  sun.  To-day  't  is  the  clouds.  Mor'rtals 
is  ill  to  satisfy." 

Eunice  and  Edwina  smiled  at  each  other.  On 
Loch  Katrine,  where  Nature  strikes  her  loftiest 
note,  and  Beauty  rests  unapproached  on  mountain, 
vale,  and  wave,  if  mortal  man  for  a  moment  for- 
gets to  worship,  he  is  indeed  ill  to  satisfy. 

A  few  days  later  the  travelers  found  themselves 
again  under  sunlit  skies,  steaming  up  the  Clyde 
between  curving  shore  lines,  on  their  way  to  Oban. 
Crowds  of  sea-gulls  were  their  companions  in  the 
broad  river-spaces,  the  soft,  white  fluttering  of 
myriad  wings  floating  like  restless,  changing  cloud- 
lets above  their  heads.  At  Ardrishaig  they  had  to 
leave  the  breezy  big  boat  for  the  small  craft  on  the 
Crinan  canal. 

"  Ah  !  "  sighed  Edwina  as  the  crowd  of  travel- 
ing humanity  began  to  bump  elbows,  "  if  only  all 
Britain  were  not  going  to  Oban  to-day !  " 

"  Now  this  is  as  cosy  as  England,"  remarked 
Eunice,  smiling,  as  the  boat  moved  on  toward  the 
first  lock,  which,  when  they  reached  it,  proved  that 
Scotland  could  be  hot. 

There  were  twelve  of  these  locks,  in  each  of 
which  they  gasped  with  the  heat,  uncheered  by  the 
Highlanders  in  kilts,  and  Irishmen  with  green  coats 
and  shillelahs,  who  gave  characteristic  songs  and 
dances  on  the  shore  and  were  rewarded  by  coppers 
tossed  from  the  boat.  But  in  the  cooler  spaces  of 
the  canal  the  fine  old  trees  and  pretty  shores  gave 


SCOTLAND  91 

the  effect  of  a  romantic  river,  and  seemed  like  a 
return  to  English  scenes. 

Miss  Pritchard  was  greatly  interested  in  the 
working  of  the  locks,  and  hung  over  the  boat  side 
at-  every  stop  to  observe  the  ingenious  machinery. 
Edwina  busied  herself  in  studying  her  books  and 
wrestling  with  the  intricacies  of  Butes  and  Firths 
and  Forths,  and  felt  tired  as  well  as  hot  by  the 
time  Crinan  was  reached.  The  tourists  poured  off 
the  little  Linnet  and  boarded  the  large  boat  that 
awaited  them  on  the  salt  waves  beyond. 

"What  water  is  this?"  asked  Eunice  eagerly 
as  they  emerged  on  the  spacious  deck  and  looked 
about. 

"  Oh,  the  Forth  of  something,"  returned  Edwina 
curtly,  —  "  July,  I  guess  by  the  feeling." 

"  You  need  your  lunch,"  laughed  Miss  Pritch- 
ard. 

They  ate  this  meal  with  a  crowd  of  other  fam- 
ished ones,  and,  comforted  within  and  decidedly 
cool  without,  wrapped  themselves  well  to  sit  on 
deck  and  view  the  winding  into  the  bay  of  Oban. 
No  longer  the  verdant  foliage  of  wide-spreading 
trees  attracted  the  eye.  This  bleak,  bright,  wind- 
swept coast  was  gray  with  rock  and  singularly 
vivid  in  the  green  of  its  bare  hills.  Irregular, 
steep  islands  marked  the  boat's  course  until  Oban, 
built  against  its  hillside,  came  into  view. 

"  Somehow,"  said  Edwina,  "  I  never  felt  so  far 
from  home  in  my  life." 

"Somehow,"  returned  Miss  Pritchard,  "neither 


92         MISS  PRITCHARD' S   WEDDING   TRIP 

did  I ;  but  neither  did  I  ever  taste  such  exhilarat- 
ing air." 

"  I  feel  that,  too  ;  and  I  need  the  courage,  for  I 
haven't  an  address  in  this  town,  and  you  're  tired, 
little  Eunice,  —  you  need  n't  deny  it." 

"  It  does  seem  queer,"  mused  Miss  Pritchard 
aloud,  "  to  look  at  a  town  like  that,  and  to  know 
that  not  a  soul  in  it  is  glad  we  're  coming,  nor 
would  care  if  we  slipped  off  the  boat." 

"Oh  yes,  there  is  somebody  who  is  glad,"  re- 
turned Edwina,  "  only  the  creature  is  not  aware  of 
it  yet.  It 's  the  woman  who  is  going  to  make  six- 
teen shillings  per  out  of  us." 

"  Then  there  are  our  letters,"  added  Eunice 
more  cheerfully.  Not  that  she  cared  especially  for 
letters.  She  had  her  world  with  her ;  but  Mi- 
randa's occasional  assurance  that  the  apartment 
was  intact  was  always  welcome. 

Their  first  move  on  landing  was  to  drive  to  the 
post-office,  and,  as  usual,  there  were  a  few  letters 
for  Miss  Pritchard  and  a  handful  for  Edwina. 
At  this  office,  also,  they  procured  some  suggestions 
as  to  an  abiding-place,  and  without  stopping  to 
open  their  mail  they  set  forth  at  once.  Miss 
Pritchard  was  opposed  to  hotels  as  being  noisy  ; 
so,  after  several  disappointments,  their  driver 
stopped  before  a  house  so  high  above  the  bay  that 
the  view  of  every  island  and  shore  line  was  unob- 
structed. An  interview  with  Miss  McDonald,  the 
hostess,  being  satisfactory,  the  travelers  were  soon 
installed. 


SCOTLAND  93 

"  Here,  you  see,  is  the  woman  who  is  glad  we 
came  to  Oban,"  said  Edvvina,  as  in  their  wrappers 
the  two  sat  that  evening  overlooking  the  beauteous 
bay  from  a  window  which  had  the  dominating 
effect  of  a  balloon.  "  Are  your  letters  interest- 
ing?" 

"  Miranda  and  the  lawyer,"  returned  Miss 
Pritchard.  "  Everything  is  all  right.  What  are 
yours  ?  " 

Edwina  had  her  letters  in  her  lap.  She  tossed 
to  her  cousin  one  she  had  just  opened.  "  Perhaps 
this  is  the  one  Miss  Erskine  foretold,"  she  said, 
laughing  and  coloring  a  little. 

Miss  Pritchard  read  Ralph  Glenn's  bright  sen- 
tences with  a  solemn  countenance.  "  If  he  had 
good  sense,"  she  said  when  she  had  finished,  "  he 
would  know  that  an  extra  correspondent  is  no- 
thing but  a  nuisance  when  one  is  traveling.  I 
hope  you  '11  tell  him  you  have  no  time  to  write." 

"  Why,  this  is  from  Mr.  Champion !  "  said  Ed- 
wina, surprised,  as  she  glanced  over  a  sheet  she  had 
just  opened.  It  was  her  turn  to  look  grave,  and 
Eunice  noticed  apprehensively  how  her  color  deep- 
ened with  annoyance. 

"  What 's  he  writing  for  ?  "  she  asked.  Cham- 
pion had  never  been  mentioned  between  them  since 
that  unlucky  episode  at  Ascot. 

"  There  it  is."  Edwina  handed  her  the  letter 
and  proceeded  to  open  the  next  one. 

Miss  Pritchard  felt  uncomfortable  as  she  read 
the  young  man's  expressed  hope  that  they  had 


94         MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

reached  London  safely  on  the  evening  of  the  races. 
He  wrote  that  he  had  called  the  following-  day  at 
their  hotel,  regretted  not  finding  them,  and  that 
on  his  return  to  London  from  one  of  his  cathedral 
trips  he  had  managed  to  discover  their  address, 
and  now  hoped  that  he  might  receive  a  word  of 
assurance  that  their  travels  were  proving  satisfac- 
tory. 

She  looked  up  and  met  her  child's  eyes  half- 
apologetically.  "  I  'm  sure  he  's  very  polite, 
Ned  ?  "  she  suggested. 

Edwina's  mental  picture  was  still  vivid :  the 
shining  drag  and  its  glistening  horses  contrasting 
with  the  ramshackle  little  wagon  in  which  with 
their  cockney  companions  they  had  jolted  over  the 
dusty  road  to  Windsor.  She  knew  she  ought  by 
this  time  to  see  the  incident  in  a  humorous  light, 
and  disliked  herself  because  she  could  n't.  She 
nodded.  "  Quite  unnecessarily  polite,"  she  replied. 

"  What  a  trouble  he  must  have  had  to  find  our 
address,"  said  Eunice  reproachfully. 

"  There  were  a  number  of  more  sensible  things 
he  might  have  been  doing." 

"  But  you  can't  leave  a  note  like  that  unan- 
swered," ejaculated  Miss  Pritchard  with  feeling. 

"  You  may  write  him,"  said  Edwina,  smiling. 
"  Tell  him  I  've  sprained  my  wrist." 

"Ned  Wilder!" 

"  Oh,  we  '11  attend  to  him  sometime."  The  girl 
laughed  at  her  cousin's  expression.  "  Meanwhile, 
where  's  that  little  song  of  yours  :  — 


SCOTLAND  95 

" '  Let  'a  be  happy  while  we  may.' 

Don't  you  want  to  read  these  letters  from  the 
girls?  Who  do  you  think  is  engaged?  Fanny 
Ardmore.  She  has  written  me  all  about  him. 
He 's  musical  —  you  know  she  is  —  and  no  taller 
than  she  is  —  that 's  rather  too  bad.  Then  she 
says  he  is  jolly  and  gay,  but  not  sporty,  and  he 
is  n't  afraid  of  mice  "  — 

"  Is  n't  "  —  Eunice  laughed. 

"  Oh,  well,  she  is,  awfully,"  said  Edwina  seri- 
ously. "  She  is  so  happy,  you  must  read  the  letter. 
You  see,"  added  the  girl  mischievously,  "  Fanny 
has  never  been  instructed  that  men  are  monsters 
with  a  large  M.  She  does  n't  know  enough  to 
shudder  at  her  fate  and  realize  that  she  ought  to 
be  more  afraid  of  men  than  of  mice." 

Miss  Pritchard's  smile  flickered  out,  and  she 
pressed  one  little  hand  over  the  ring  she  wore. 
The  girl  regretted  her  jest. 

"  Ah,  cousin  Eunice,  we  ought  not  to  be  keep- 
ing our  eyes  indoors.  The  sun  is  going  down." 
All  the  water  of  the  bay  was  pink,  and  the  Islands 
of  Mull  and  the  Shepherd's  Hat  lay  black  upon  it. 
They  watched  the  colors  change  and  fade,  and  in 
the  long  late  twilight  the  lights  twinkle  out  on  the 
shipping,  far  below  their  eyrie. 

"  Another  place  to  want  to  spend  our  lives  in," 
said  Edwina  at  last,  sleepily.  "  Dear  me  !  what  a 
number  of  incarnations  it  would  take  to  do  justice 
to  all  these  beauties  !  " 

Miss  McDonald's  menage  proved  a  very  attrac- 


96 

tive  one.  She  had  less  difficulty  than  her  maid  in 
adjusting  herself  to  the  peculiarities  of  these  odd 
Americans ;  but  Edwina  expected  yet  to  see  plea- 
sant Scotch  Annie  rambling  on  the  hilltops  and 
wringing  her  hands  in  the  endeavor  to  grasp  the 
unnatural  fact  that  her  new  ladies  did  not  want 
tea  at  breakfast,  did  want  it  at  lunch,  and  did  not 
want  it  at  four  o'clock.  One  phenomenon  she 
grappled  with  and  grasped :  namely,  that  they 
liked  cold  water  to  drink  I  This  unique  desire 
having  threatened  with  nervous  prostration  each 
British  household  they  had  entered,  Eunice  and 
Edwina  were  the  more  touched  with  Annie's  zeal 
to  please  them,  —  a  zeal  which  she  evidenced  by 
bringing  a  pitcher  of  water  and  glasses  to  their 
rooms  immediately  after  breakfast  and  repeating 
the  process  at  short  intervals  all  day.  She  evi- 
dently concluded  that  they  were  afflicted  with  some 
mysterious  inward  fever  which  required  frequent 
assuaging. 

The  morning  after  their  arrival  Miss  McDonald 
came  to  the  drawing-room  to  consult  with  them  on 
the  subject  of  meals.  She  was  a  small  dark  woman 
with  the  brightest  of  eyes  and  the  most  deliberate 
and  reposeful  manner  of  speech.  In  contrast  to 
the  ingratiating  little  "  Is  n't  it  ?  "  "  Was  n't  it  ?  " 
"  Doesn't  it?"  which  modifies  each  declaration  of 
an  Englishwoman,  Miss  McDonald's  remarks,  like 
those  of  her  compatriot  captain  on  Loch  Katrine, 
were  all  statements. 

"  I  thought  I  heard  the  note  of  a  bullfinch  down- 


SCOTLAND  97 

stairs  this  morning,  Miss  McDonald,"  said  Ed- 
wina. 

"  Ah,  you  heard  Bully." 

"  And  I  was  glad  to.  I  had  a  bullfinch  once. 
What  sweet  pets  they  are !  " 

"  Mine  came  to  me.  I  never  knew  how.  I 
came  up  the  steps  into  my  vestibule  one  day,  and 
there  lay  what  looked  to  be  a  bit  of  pink  cotton. 
I  stooped.  It  was  an  unfledged  bird  which  had 
not  yet  its  eyes  open.  It  could  not  have  climbed 
in  there  alone.  I  have  a  theory  at  which  my 
brother  laughs.  I  've  always  believed  that  Robin 
helped  him  in." 

"  Who  is  Robin  ?  "  asked  Edwina,  while  Eunice 
asked  Miss  McDonald  to  sit  down.  She  declined 
with  gentle  decision,  and  never  during  the  many 
long  talks  the  three  had  together  did  the  Scotch 
lady  descend  to  a  chair.  She  reminded  Edwina 
of  certain  dolls  of  her  childhood  whose  physical 
limitations  made  such  indulgence  impossible. 

"  Robin  is  a  bird  who  has  nested  near  my  house 
for  seventeen  years.  Not  this  house  always.  I 
moved  five  years  ago,  and  for  many  days  I  missed 
the  little  fellow.  At  last  I  met  him  on  the  street. 
'  Why,  Robin  ! '  said  I,  '  don't  you  know  where  I 
am  ?  '  I  suppose  he  followed  me  home  ;  for  next 
day  he  was  eating  on  the  new  window-sill  as  famil- 
iarly as  he  had  on  the  old  one." 

"  For  seventeen  years !  "  repeated  Miss  Pritch- 
ard. 

"  Yes.     He  still  comes.     You  can  see  him  any 


98         MISS  PIIITCIIAIWS    WEDDING   TRIP 

day.  At  the  coldest  periods  in  winter  he  stays  in 
the  house.  At  meal-time  he  perches  on  the  chan- 
delier and  watches  us  lay  the  table.  If  we  put 
down  spoons,  he  knows  there  is  going  to  be  rice 
or  something  that  he  likes,  and  he  stays  ;  but  if  he 
sees  only  forks  he  flies  out." 

Edwina's  mental  attitude  would  have  found  nat- 
ural vent  in  a  low  whistle ;  but  Miss  McDonald's 
manner-of-fact  manner  seemed  to  refute  the  sus- 
picion of  exaggeration. 

"  But  in  pleasant  weather  Robin  comes  no  fur- 
ther than  the  window.  Once,  however,  when  I  was 
ill  for  days  and  he  missed  me,  he  got  uneasy,  so  he 
came  into  the  house  and  upstairs,  where  he  had 
never  flown  before,  and  searched  till  he  found  me 
in  bed.  He  just  looked  at  me,  and  away  he  flew." 

"  The  cunning  thing !  " 

"  No,  he  wasn't  afraid,  but  he  was  satisfied. 
Yes,"  after  a  pause,  "  I  've  always  thought  't  was 
Robin  found  Bully  out  of  the  nest,  and  knowing 
he  would  get  good  treatment  here,  helped  him  into 
my  doorway  ;  and  now  that  little  helpless  pink  bit 
is  the  tyrant  of  the  house." 

"  I  must  meet  him  !  "  said  Edwina. 

"  If  you  are  in  the  house  this  afternoon  at  three 
and  will  come  to  my  room,  you  will  see  him.  He 
is  a  creature  of  habit,  and  demands  that  I  shall  be 
one  too." 

Eunice  and  Edwina  were  very  fond  of  birds,  and 
they  returned  from  a  pilgrimage  among  the  cairn- 
gorm shops  to  keep  this  tryst,  though  they  could 


SCOTLAND  99 

have  wished  that  Bully  had  not  been  quite  so  early 
a  bird.  When  they  entered  Miss  McDonald's 
room  the  bullfinch  was  hopping  about  the  carpet 
gathering  such  shreds  as  he  could  find,  and  only 
paused  in  this  occupation  when  Edwina  whistled 
to  him.  Swift  and  sidewise  he  hopped  across  to 
her,  and  she  stooped  and  nodded  to  him.  He 
turned  tail  and  head  toward  her  and  bowed  with 
most  courteous  empressement,  after  the  manner  of 
his  kind. 

"  Just  to  think,"  she  sighed,  "  of  being  in  a 
country  where  bullfinches  grow  in  nests  instead  of 
in  bird-stores ! " 

"  He  knows  his  friends,"  smiled  Miss  McDonald. 
"  You  understand  how  to  treat  him." 

The  little  fellow  continued  to  courtesy  and  call 
in  return  for  Edwina's  soft  whistle  and  open  flat- 
tery ;  but  an  idea  seemed  suddenly  to  strike  him. 
He  bent  his  head  to  one  side,  glanced  up  at  Miss 
McDonald,  and  then  flew  out  at  the  open  door. 

"  It  is  three  o'clock,"  she  said. 

They  could  hear  a  loud  repeated  cry  in  the  cor- 
ridor. 

"  He  has  found  the  door  closed,"  explained  Miss 
McDonald.  The  others  followed  as  she  passed 
into  the  hall,  where  her  pet  was  making  his  wants 
known.  As  soon  as  she  opened  the  door  they  all 
followed  the  whirr  of  his  light  wing,  where  he  led 
to  the  kitchen  sink.  Here  he  perched  and  called 
peremptorily. 

"  He  wants  me  to  turn  on  the  faucet,"  she  re- 


100       MISS  PBITCHABD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

marked,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word.  The  bull- 
finch hopped  down  into  its  spray  and  took  an  elab- 
orate and  luxurious  bath. 

"  He  won't  take  a  bath  anywhere  else  or  at  any 
other  time,"  said  Miss  McDonald.  "  There  you  '11 
see  Robin  on  the  sill  if  you  '11  turn  quietly,"  she 
added. 

Her  guests  obeyed,  and  saw  on  the  stone  ledge 
of  the  window  the  venerable  little  robin,  rather 
faded  as  to  plumage,  eating  away  busily. 

"  Chaffy  '11  be  here  too,  perhaps." 

"  Is  there  another  ?  "  asked  Edwina. 

Miss  McDonald  bent  her  head.  "  My  chaffinch 
has  been  coming  for  many  years  too.  His  little 
wife  was  hurt  one  day,  and  I  took  her  in  and  kept 
her  in  a  cage.  Its  door  was  open,  and  Chaffy 
came  and  went  as  he  liked.  After  a  while  she 
became  so  much  better  she  began  going  with  him 
and  coming  back  again  ;  but  I  saw  at  last  that  she 
was  well  able  to  be  out,  and  after  that  I  did  n't 
urge  them  to  stay.  That  was  some  time  ago," 
added  Miss  McDonald  with  unbroken  seriousness. 
"  Last  spring  we  had  a  great  grief  ;  Chaffy  lost 
his  wife." 

"  Ah  !  "  exclaimed  Edwina  sympathetically.  "  I 
wish  we  could  see  the  little  widower.  Do  look  at 
Bully !  "  and  her  laugh  drove  the  robin  from  the 
sill,  for  the  bedraggled  bullfinch,  too  heavy  to  fly, 
shook  himself,  looking  out  from  his  matted  and 
clinging  feathers  with  unnaturally  big  eyes,  his 
forlorn  little  neck  having  a  plucked  appearance. 


SCOTLAND  101 

"  You  look  like  a  fright !  "  exclaimed  the  girl, 
stooping  her  head  to  him.  He  struggled  up  to  a 
low  wooden  shelf,  and  turning  on  her,  opened  his 
miniature  parrot  beak,  and  squawked  indignant 
comments  on  her  indelicacy  for  a  minute  before 
proceeding  with  his  toilet. 

Miss  McDonald's  birds  and  her  tales  about  them 
constituted  a  powerful  rival  to  the  other  charms  of 
Oban  ;  but  Eunice  and  Edwina  took  many  of  the 
excursions  round  about.  Their  Scotland  was  not 
a  country  of  clouds  and  rain,  and  it  was  a  heavenly 
clear  morning  that  they  took  the  boat  for  the  islands 
of  lona  and  Staffa.  This  trip  was  indeed  a  voy- 
age of  discovery  to  them.  They  did  not  wonder 
that  this  region  is  called  the  Norway  of  Scotland. 
The  wild  beauty  of  islands,  crags,  and  mountains, 
and  the  vivid  coloring  of  the  water,  were  all  novel. 
They  passed  steep  and  lonely  islands  where  only 
gulls  and  cormorants  hold  sway,  and  about  the 
rocky  coast  strange  creatures  were  diving.  Por- 
poises rolled  about  the  boat,  and  gulls  followed 
them  so  closely  that  one  could  look  straight  into 
their  eyes  as  they  uttered  a  plaintive,  querulous 
note  like  the  cry  of  a  kitten,  then  turned  and  dived 
and  swam  lightly  upon  the  wave.  Gulls  are  the 
ducks  of  Scotland,  to  be  met  on  many  an  inland 
watercourse. 

As  they  neared  lona  its  sandy  beaches  grew  pure 
white  in  the  sun,  and  the  waves  about  its  shores 
assumed  vivid  tints,  —  purples,  blues,  light  greens. 

"  I  have  n't  seen  any  coloring  like  that,"  said 


102       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

Miss  Pritchard,  "  since  I  was  a  little  girl  in  the 
country  and  carried  a  rainbow  fan  to  church." 

The  steamer  when  it  anchored  seemed  floating  in 
a  liquid  emerald  of  exquisite  transparence.  Eunice 
and  Edwina  stepped  into  one  of  the  small  boats 
manned  by  voluble  and  incomprehensible  Gaelic 
boatmen,  and  soon  set  foot  on  that  historic  soil 
where  thirteen  hundred  years  ago  began  the  first 
record  of  Christian  history  in  Scotland.  Is  this 
the  same  island  which  legend  records  as  the  haven 
of  that  little  Roman  band  of  Christ's  followers  who 
fled  from  the  adulteration  of  their  religion  under 
Constantine,  to  find  a  spot  where  they  could  re- 
main true  to  the  simple,  strong,  healing  faith  of 
the  Master  ? 

It  is  said  of  this  company  that  when  a  ship  ap- 
peared on  the  horizon  they  prayed  for  a  mist  to 
arise  from  the  sea  and  shield  them  from  discovery, 
and  that  their  prayer  was  answered  ;  but  at  last 
their  descendants  swerved  from  this  purity  of  faith. 
They  no  longer  prayed  to  be  shielded,  and  so  a 
mist  arose  in  their  own  minds  and  hearts.  Stran- 
gers came,  their  faith  grew  less,  and  the  healing 
power  was  lost.  Primitive  Christianity  gradually 
disappeared,  not  to  be  regained  and  grasped  by 
mortals  until  a  second  thousand  years  was  well  on 
its  way  to  completion. 

Eunice  and  Edwina  rambled  over  the  soft  green 
flower-strewn  fields,  marveling  at  the  stone  ruins 
of  ancient  monasteries  and  nunneries  and  the  crude 
carvings  of  ancient  days,  —  all  set  in  the  light  and 


SCOTLAND  103 

color  and  sparkle  of  a  sea  that  seemed  incapable  of 
mist. 

From  this  scene  their  ship  took  them  to  Staffa. 
In  small  boats  they  rowed  deep  into  Fingal's  Cave. 
Its  stones  are  gems  of  pink  and  red,  and  roseate 
reflections  brighten  its  shadowy  depths.  They 
walked  on  the  tops  of  its  well-set  pillars  across  the 
island,  wondering,  wondering.  Miss  McDonald 
lent  them  an  Ossian  when  they  reached  home,  and 
they  read  that  tale  of  Fingal's  son. 

But  the  day  the  travelers  went  to  Loch  Awe 
was  quite  as  enjoyable.  What  a  good  thing  it  is 
for  those  fortunate  pilgrims  who  do  know  Loch 
Awe  that  everybody  doesn't!  Do  the  knowing 
ones  come  back  with  fingers  on  lips,  hoping  to  go 
again  sometime,  and  realizing  that  where  "  every 
prospect  pleases "  man  is  apt  to  be  especially 
"  vile  "  ?  Otherwise  how  is  it  that  a  bed  is  obtain- 
able in  this  paradise,  or  a  seat  in  its  little  pleasure- 
boat  ? 

Through  a  mountainous  country  of  bracken  and 
gorse,  heather  and  harebells,  Eunice  and  Edwina 
reached  this  gem  of  a  lake  one  day  and  took  their 
places  in  the  sunny  corner  of  a  waiting  boat  which 
promised  further  enchantment.  Many  of  the  lofty 
Bens  are  about  this  loch,  among  them  Ben  Cru- 
achan  and  Ben  Lui.  Before  these  stand  soft 
wooded  hills  and  deep  gorges,  whose  reflections 
form  patches  of  bright  indigo-blue  and  deep  green 
in  the  waves,  as  if  even  the  water  were  trying  to 
be  plaid.  Farthest  back  against  the  sky  the  more 


104       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

distant  mountains  take  opal  tints,  and  all  these 
guardians  lovingly  surround  their  little  loch,  which 
faithfully  mirrors  their  beauties  while  it  laps  the 
foot  of  ruined  Castle  Kilchurn. 

Edwina  leaned  toward  her  companion.  "  How 
is  your  better  judgment  feeling  to-day,  cousin 
Eunice  ?  "  she  asked  softly. 


CHAPTER  VI 

BY   LAND   AND   SEA 

BUT  one  morning  Bully  pulled  Edwina's  hair  for 
the  last  time.  It  was  discriminating  of  him  to  re- 
cognize that  nothing  better  for  the  purposes  of  nest- 
building  than  that  light,  fluffy  substance  could  be 
procured,  and  every  day  it  had  been  his  custom  to 
tug  at  it. 

The  two  Americans  said  good-by  to  Miss  Mc- 
Donald and  went  reluctantly  down  the  hill,  and 
again  from  a  boat's  deck  beheld  Oban  on  its  curv- 
ing green  slope.  The  town  which  had  looked  so 
unfriendly  to  their  approaching  vision  now  seemed 
to  smile  a  kindly  adieu. 

"  I  never  saw  such  a  girl  as  you  are  for  going 
away  from  places,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  regretfully. 

"  Oh,  we  're  sampling,  this  time,"  returned  Ed- 
wina.  "  If,"  with  a  sigh,  "  if  Miss  McDonald 
would  only  have  let  me  take  Bully !  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  a  cage  added  to  our  traps  would 
complete  our  happiness,  especially  with  a  bird  who 
would  demand  a  bath  daily  at  three  o'clock  P.  M. 
and  raise  the  neighborhood  if  he  did  n't  get  it. 
After  all,"  added  Eunice  reminiscently,  "  that  reg- 
ular 5.45  A.  M.  bell  on  the  excursion  boat  is  one 
thing  we  can  be  glad  to  get  away  from/' 


106       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Edwina  laughed.  "  Poor  little  bell-pursued  Eu- 
nice ! " 

"  Yes,  if  Europe  knew  how  to  be  still  nights,  it 
would  be  greatly  improved.  Where  are  we  going 
to  sleep  (or  wake)  to-night  ?  " 

"  At  Banavie.  It  will  be  fine  to  be  so  close  to 
Ben  Nevis  ;  and  there  won't  be  any  bells  there." 

"  Then  there  '11  be  roosters,"  said  Miss  Pritchard 
with  placid  resignation. 

They  sailed  past  Dunolly  Castle,  through  the 
Firth  of  Lome,  and  into  Loch  Linnhe  with  its  green 
and  heathery  shores.  Leaving  the  boat  at  Fort 
William,  they  drove  to  Banavie,  through  the  town, 
and  then  over  a  moor  where  were  marshes  over- 
grown with  rushes  and  waxy  white  bell-flowers  edg- 
ing long  stretches  of  upturned  peat.  Ben  Nevis 
loomed  above  them.  They  sat  in  the  garden  of  the 
Lochiel  Arms  and  watched  the  crimson  flush  of 
sunset  deepen  for  minutes  on  the  gigantic  mountain 
slopes.  It  was  a  sight  that  stirred  the  soul. 

"  Let 's  not  see  it  fade  —  let 's  not !  "  exclaimed 
Edwina  when  the  color  was  glowing.  She  seized 
her  cousin's  hand  and  rose  from  the  garden  seat, 
lowering  her  eyes  to  hold  the  vision  intact.  Miss 
Pritchard  followed  obediently. 

"  I  don't  care  now,  even  if  there  are  roosters," 
she  said  in  a  hushed  tone. 

As  usual  for  this  favored  pair,  the  following 
morning  was  cloudless  when  they  took  the  steamer 
on  the  Caledonian  canal.  This,  differing  from  the 
river-like  Crinan,  seems  a  ribbon  on  which  are 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  107 

strung  charming  lochs  —  wide  and  glassy  sheets 
that  hold  their  pure  lucid  mirrors  up  to  the  face 
of  Highland  Nature  with  an  effect  of  doubling  her 
beauty  in  a  manner  quite  indescribable.  Some- 
times the  twin  pictures  are  of  ruined  castles,  some- 
times of  farms  looking  tiny  upon  the  fair,  spacious 
hillsides.  Sometimes  a  village  nestles  in  a  hollow, 
one  of  them  that  of  which  the  old  Scotchman  said : 

"  'T  is  dangerous  to  linger  in  Drumnadrochit. 
One  is  near  to  forgetting  that  we  live  in  a  misera- 
ble vale  of  tears ! " 

Eunice  and  Edwina  did  not  go  north  of  Inver- 
ness. They  spent  a  Sunday  there,  wondering  at 
the  richly  garbed  Highland  gentlemen  in  their 
kilts,  and  rambling  by  the  river  Ness  where  the 
gulls  were  swimming  and  flying  in  flocks. 

Their  next  stop  was  at  Edinburgh,  where  they 
spent  ten  days  —  mostly  with  Mary  Stuart  at  Holy- 
rood  and  the  Castle.  At  the  latter  place  they  en- 
joyed seeing  the  drill  of  regiments  in  white  jackets 
and  tartans  on  the  lofty  parade-ground.  The 
swinging  kilts  and  huge  helmets  of  fur  and  feathers 
of  the  Scotch  soldiery  then  assailed  their  risibles 
more  than  their  hearts ;  but  when  the  events  of  the 
following  winter  made  tragic  havoc  in  those  brave 
ranks,  it  was  with  a  thrill  and  a  pang  that  two 
Americans  remembered  the  parade  under  smiling 
skies  of  the  heroic  Gordon  Highlanders. 

Edwina  secured  a  quaint  Scotch  coachman  for 
their  drive  around  Arthur's  Seat,  and  as  they 
climbed  Edinburgh's  guardian  mountain,  he  called 


108       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

their  attention  to  the  bonny  fields  below.  He 
showed  them  St.  Margaret's  Well,  from  which 
water  was  always  taken  to  baptize  Scotland's  royal 
babies,  and  farther  up  the  steep,  Dunsappie  Loch, 
a  miniature  lake  under  Muschat  Cairn,  where  he 
told  them  in  detail  how  the  fairy  folk  skipped 
down  from  the  Cairn  at  night  to  bathe. 

"  How  Bully  would  enjoy  that ! ''  said  Edwina, 
wistfully  regarding  the  little  wavelets. 

"Not  unless  the  fairies  would  bathe  at  three 
P.  M.,"  suggested  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Oh,  he  would  n't  permit  them  to  go  in  when  he 
did.  Would  n't  he  pounce  on  them,  though,  and 
tear  them  wing  from  wing !  I  don't  think  I  ever 
met  a  more  certain  disposition  than  Pully's." 

The  sun  went  on  shining,  and  Miss  Bellair's 
riddle  concerning  her  gracious  Queen  lost  its  point. 
Whether  standing  on  Dean's  bridge  with  Leith 
Water  running  beneath,  brown  and  clear,  weaving 
with  its  hilly  wooded  banks  an  interval  of  poetry 
into  a  crowded  city's  prose,  or  visiting  that  other 
bridge,  the  masterpiece  that  spans  the  Forth,  all 
rambles  and  drives  were  made  under  bright  skies. 
Only  one  day  did  the  "  haar  "  interfere  with  a  view, 
and  when  at  last  Eunice  and  Edwina  took  the  train 
for  York,  they  were  assured  by  native  sages  that 
Scotia  seldom  had  smiled,  and  seldom  would  again, 
with  such  protracted  graciousness  as  that  in  which 
these  guests  had  basked. 

"  Three  weeks  in  Scotland,  and  only  half  an 
hour's  rain,"  said  Edwina  when  they  were  settled  in 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  109 

the  comfortable  corridor  car  that  was  to  take  them 
back  to  England.  The  scenery  from  its  windows 
formed  a  series  of  tantalizing  views.  Especially 
did  the  gorge  of  Killiecrankie,  with  its  rushing 
river  and  myriad  trees,  trouble  Edwina's  sou) 
with  longings.  "  Oh,  cousin  Eunice,"  she  groaned,. 
"  the  next  wedding  trip  you  take,  do  engage  a  bet- 
ter courier  than  I  am.  Look  at  the  places  we  're 
letting  get  away  !  "  The  speaker  glanced  up  de- 
sperately at  their  hold-all  and  dress-suit  cases  in 
the- rack  —  lumpish  obstacles  to  quick  movement, 
—  as  if  but  for  them  she  could  seize  her  companion 
and  jump  off  the  train. 

Miss  Pritchard  understood  her  look  and  smiled. 
"  Let 's  come  here  sometime  when  we  are  disembod- 
ied and  don't  need  to  look  about  for  porters." 

"  Agreed.  Don't  you  forget,  now,  that  you  have 
a  date  with  me.  I  know  just  what  a  little  flibberty- 
gibbet  shade  you  '11  be." 

"  'Sh  !  "  exclaimed  Eunice,  blushing  and  glan- 
cing around  to  see  if  any  one  had  heard.  "  Ned 
Wilder,  you  're  irreverent !  " 

"To  whom?" 

A  stop  at  York,  a  short  stay  in  London,  a  day 
at  Canterbury,  and  Eunice  and  Edwina  at  last 
came  to  Dover.  The  day  was  breezy  and  clear, 
and  the  dreaded  channel  rough.  Miss  Pritchard's 
heart  sank  within  her  as  her  eyes  fell  on  the  wait- 
ing boat.  It  seemed  to  her  like  a  mettlesome  steed, 
leaping  and  champing  at  the  bit,  eager  to  be  off. 

"  Now,  you  're  not  going  to  have  an  uncomforta- 


110       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

ble  minute,"  said  Edwina  firmly,  though  inwardly 
she  quaked.  "  You  've  attended  to  that  too  re- 
cently." She  led  her  cousin  up  the  gang-plank 
and  toward  a  vacant  deck  chair. 

"  Well,  this  is  lucky !  "  exclaimed  a  pleasant 
deep  voice,  as  some  one  approached  behind  them. 

"  Mr.  Champion,"  exclaimed  Eunice  in  return, 
too  desperate  for  conventional  greeting,  "  how  can 
you  speak  of  luck  here  ?  "  She  clutched  the  chair 
with  both  hands,  and  had  none  to  give  him. 

"  Are  you  worrying  over  this  trip  ?  Oh,  it 's  only 
a  step,  and  you  're  not  going  to  mind  it  on  this 
boat.  If  it  were  one  of  the  small  ones,  I  admit "  — 

The  speaker  swiftly  arranged  the  chair  with  a 
deep  slant,  placed  Miss  Pritchard  in  it,  and  set  the 
dress-suit  cases  where  her  feet  could  rest  on  them. 
"  You  will  rock  in  the  cradle  of  the  deep  and  not 
mind  it  in  the  least,"  he  said  with  comforting 
heartiness.  "  Now  we  're  off.  Just  close  your  eyes 
and  open  them  in  a  little  while  at  Calais." 

"  Is  n't  water  dreadful !  "  moaned  Eunice  feel- 
ingly. 

"  You  're  going  where  they  think  so,"  said 
Champion.  "  How  will  Miss  Pritchard  take  to 
the  flowing  bowl,  Miss  Wilder?  " 

Edwina  smiled  and  shook  her  head.  The  wind 
was  fresh,  and  blew  the  spray  in  their  faces  as  the 
Pas  de  Calais  steamed  on. 

Champion  took  a  chair  beside  the  girl  near  the 
rail.  "  Did  you  get  a  letter  from  me  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes,  I  did." 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  111 

"  I  have  n't  received  any  from  you." 

"  I  know.  You  see,  we  have  been  moving  about 
so  since  it  came  " 

"  You  have  forced  me  to  think  of  you  as  lost  in 
some  dusty  road  on  the  way  to  Windsor.  I  had  n't 
much  faith  in  that  little  wagon." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Edwina,  with  what  she  felt 
was  a  stupidly  formal  manner.  "  We  did  very 
well.  I  hope  your  visit  to  the  cathedrals  has  been 
satisfactory." 

"  You  're  very  kind.  Entirely  so.  Was  n't  it 
odd  we  should  have  chanced  on  the  same  boat  for 
this  crossing  ?  " 

"  I  believe  that  is  what  is  always  happening  in 
Europe,  isn't  it?  Americans  can't  avoid  each 
other." 

"  Would  you  like  to  avoid  me  for  the  next  hour  ?  " 
inquired  Champion  good-naturedly.  "  I  hope  there 
is  no  danger  of  the  steward's  company  being  more 
acceptable  than  mine."  For  already  ominous-look- 
ing little  bowls  were  being  carried  hither  and 
thither  past  Miss  Pritchard,  who  had  obediently 
closed  her  eyes,  every  feature  of  her  face  express- 
ing endurance. 

Edwina  received  this  implication  unsmilingly. 
"  It  is  rather  unsatisfactory  to  shout  at  one  another 
against  this  wind,  don't  you  think  so  ?  " 

"It  is  no  opportunity  for  sweet  nothings,  that 's 
a  fact." 

After  this  the  girl  gave  herself  up  to  the  music 
of  the  waves.  Once  her  handkerchief  nearly  blew 


112       MISS  PKITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

overboard,  and  Champion  caught  and  restored  it. 
Then  he  took  a  letter  from  his  pocket  and  re-read 
it.  Involuntarily  Edwina's  eye  took  note  that  it 
was  in  a  woman's  writing.  In  their  shipboard  ac- 
quaintance she  had  learned  that  Champion  lived 
in  New  York ;  that  he  had  studied  at  Harvard 
College  and  the  Ecole  des  Beaux  Arts,  and  that 
after  a  year's  work  at  home  he  had  won  a  money 
prize  in  an  architectural  competition  which  he  was 
now  expending  in  a  return  to  the  Old  World. 

When  the  boat  neared  the  shore  Edwina  rose 
and  laid  her  hand  on  her  cousin's  clenched  one. 
"  Look  what  a  sailor  you  are ! "  she  said,  with  a 
congratulatory  note. 

Miss  Pritchard  opened  her  eyes,  at  first  fear- 
fully, then  with  growing  confidence.  "  Are  we 
there  ?  "  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  indeed." 

"  Was  n't  anybody  sick  ?  " 

"  Yes,  a  number  of  people." 

"  Good  !  "  ejaculated  Eunice,  with  such  un-Chris- 
tian  fervor  that  both  her  companions  laughed. 

"  Well,  it  is  encouraging,"  she  declared. 

"  How  wonderful  it  is,  Mr.  Champion,  that  you 
are  always  at  hand  when  we  have  to  go  through  a 
hard  place  !  "  added  Miss  Pritchard.  "  This  land- 
ing, I  know,  is  going  to  be  a  bother  —  with  the 
customs  in  a  foreign  language." 

"  Your  cousin  thinks  it  quite  natural  that  we 
should  meet,"  he  replied,  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes,  "  in 
fact,  almost  unavoidable." 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  113 

"  Yes,  that 's  just  like  Ned,"  said  Eunice  inno- 
cently. "  She  is  always  expecting  pleasant  things 
to  happen." 

At  this  Champion  glanced  at  Edwina,  who  was 
preoccupied  watching  the  surrounding  shipping. 
"  And  have  pleasant  things  happened  right  along 
as  they  should  ?  "  he  asked,  turning  back  to  Miss 
Pritchard. 

"  Oh,  yes.  We  've  had  a  good  time.  I  thought 
perhaps  we  should  see  you  when  we  were  at  York. 
We  spoke  of  you,  did  n't  we,  Edwina  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  think  cousin  Eunice  expected  to  find 
you  had  been  sitting  on  the  steps  of  the  cathedral 
a  month  or  so  waiting  for  us." 

"  How  did  it  impress  you?  " 

"  Oh,  it  is  vast.  Nothing  we  have  ever  seen 
prepared  us  for  these  great  spaces." 

"But  that  —  that  basement,"  said  Miss  Pritch- 
ard, "was  the  worst  place  I  ever  tried  to  creep 
around." 

Champion  smiled  at  this  description  of  the  hoary 
crypt.  "  Did  n't  that  herringbone  masonry  of  the 
Romans  reward  you  for  your  exertions  ?  " 

"  What  did  I  care  for  that !  "  scornfully.  "  I 
like  places  where  I  can  stand  up  and  see  where  I  'm 
going." 

"  Cousin  Eunice's  room  at  York  looked  on  a 
railroad  switch,"  remarked  Edwina.  "  She  sat  up 
with  engines  all  night.  Sometime  she  will  forget 
those  and  remember  more  about  the  cathedral." 

"  Then  we  came  back  to  London,"  said  Miss 


114       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

Pritchard,  "  and  what  do  you  suppose  it  was,  there  ? 
Skylarks  in  cages  outside  the  hotel  windows. 
There 's  no  poetry  about  the  poor  little  dears  in 
their  canvas-topped  cages,  shrieking  close  to  one's 
ears  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning." 

"  I  dare  say,"  returned  Champion.  "  They  were 
designed  to  perform  in  a  very  large  opera-house ; 
but  I  hope  you  stopped  at  Canterbury  and  gained 
a  different  idea  of  cathedral  crypts." 

"  Yes,  that  was  very  fine.  Edwina  went  wild 
over  Canterbury." 

Miss  Wilder  did  not  take  the  cue,  though  her 
cousin  regarded  her  expectantly.  She  gazed  still 
at  the  shipping.  "  Even  at  Canterbury  the  serpent 
entered  in  for  poor  cousin  Eunice,"  she  remarked. 
"  The  bolt  of  her  door  at  the  hotel  was  rusty,  and 
she  did  n't  dare  slip  it,  and  at  nearly  midnight  a 
man  walked  in  with  a  lighted  candle,  mistaking 
the  room.  Of  course  she  slept  no  more.  Let 's  see, 
cousin  Eunice,  our  list  of  betes  noires  grows ;  we 
now  have  to  ask  about  bells,  poultry,  engines,  larks, 
and  men  with  bad  memories  for  room-numbers." 

"  Here  is  France,"  said  Champion,  as  the  pas- 
sengers began  to  press  forward.  "  May  you  sleep 
well  and  prosper  on  its  shores,  Miss  Pritchard." 

Champion  escorted  the  ladies  through  the  cus- 
toms and  found  a  place  with  them  on  the  crowded 
train  for  Paris.  Arrived  in  that  city,  his  help 
in  the  confusion  of  the  Gare  du  Xord  was  not  to 
be  despised,  even  by  Edwina,  who,  when  he  had 
finally  placed  them  in  a  cab,  thanked  him  with  a 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  115 

sincere  tone  which  made  her  again  seem  for  the 
moment  like  the  girl  he  had  known  on  the  ocean 
voyage. 

As  he  turned  away  to  his  hotel  her  face  was 
present  in  his  thoughts.  "  I  wonder  what  has  gone 
wrong  with  Miss  Wilder,"  he  reflected.  "  Some- 
thing in  her  trip  has  disappointed  her,  evidently. 
She  's  not  at  all  the  same.  They  say  they  have 
enjoyed  the  summer,  —  and  Miss  Pritchard  is  cer- 
tainly honest."  He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  I 
really  can't  see  how  I  'm  accountable,  but  she 
seems  to  think  I  am." 

Edwina  had  chosen  a  little  hotel  near  the  Tui- 
leries  which  had  been  recommended  to  them.  Its 
dark  halls  and  smoky  walls  were  compensated  for 
by  the  charming  and  kindly  manner  of  host  and 
servants. 

When  ensconced  in  their  rooms  Miss  Pritchard 
turned  upon  her  companion  with  a  severity  she 
seldom  employed.  "  Now  explain  yourself  to  me, 
Edwina  Wilder,"  she  said  deliberately.  "I  am 
displeased  that  you  have  n't  more  self-control.  Ad- 
mitted that  you  don't  like  Mr.  Champion ;  I 
thought  I  had  succeeded  better  in  bringing  you  up 
to  be  courteous  to  everybody.  He  's  the  very  kind- 
est young  man  I  ever  saw.  What  should  we  have 
done  without  him  ?  " 

"  Just  what  we  did  with  him,"  returned  Edwina, 
"  except  that  you  would  have  heard  my  French 
addressing  facteurs  and  cockers  and  the  people  at 
the  douane  instead  of  his.  You  don't  know  what 
you  missed." 


116       MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING   TEIP 

"  When  he  asked  you  on  the  train  about  our 
trip,  you  replied  in  monosyllables  instead  of  telling 
him  interesting  things.  I  was  sitting  too  far  away 
to  talk  conveniently  ;  but  I  longed  to  let  him  know 
we  were  n't  both  dumb  and  stupid." 

"  Dear  little  Eunice,"  ingratiatingly,  "  I  was 
too  busy  trying  to  sit  up  straight.  Did  you  ever 
see  such  uncomfortable  seats,  or  ride  in  a  train 
that  switched  around  like  that  ?  When  I  play 
crack-the-whip  I  like  to  be  acquainted  with  all  the 
players.  Did  you  notice  the  size  of  that  French- 
woman next  me  ?  " 

"  Don't  change  the  subject.  No  telling  when 
we  shall  see  him  again,  since  he  is  not  staying  in 
Paris.  That  lovely  smile  of  his !  What  a  comfort 
it  is  to  see  his  head  and  shoulders  looming  up 
above  those  little  cackling  Frenchmen !  What 
was  being  alone  in  London  compared  to  being 
alone  in  Paris?  Oh,  did  you  ask  if  there  were 
any  bells  ?  " 

"  Ask  whom  ?     Mr.  Champion  ?  " 

"  No,  at  the  office.  I  'm  afraid  you  don't  know 
how,  Ned,  and  what  shall  we  do?  You  ought  to 
have  asked  Mr.  Champion  how  to  say  *  bells '  and 
*  roosters.' ': 

Edwina  nodded  comfortingly.  "  I  'm  nearly 
certain  there  are  no  roosters  taking  the  air  on  the 
Quai,  or  the  Pont  Royal.  As  for  the  bells,  I  'm 
shocked  at  your  faithlessness.  Come  down  to  the 
office  and  listen  to  me  ask  if  there  are  any  cloches 
pres  d'ici  !  " 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  117 

Eunice  and  Edwina  spent  happy  months  in 
Paris,  wandering  in  the  galleries,  churches,  and 
palaces ;  driving  in  the  gay,  clean  streets  and 
alluring  parks,  and  riding  up  and  down  the  Seine 
for  hours  watching  the  progress  of  the  Fair  build- 
ings or  the  clear,  bright  sunsets.  It  was  very 
warm  during  the  first  week  of  their  stay,  but  the 
autumn  weather  crept  on  and  held  them  charmed 
in  the  windless,  cool  atmosphere  until  their  third 
month  was  half  gone. 

"^If  we  are  going  to  visit  the  chateaux,"  said 
Edwina  one  morning,  "  we  shall  have  to  start,  or 
it  will  be  too  cold.  I  don't  feel  at  all  enthusiastic 
about  it.  I  'd  quite  as  lief  sit  a  few  more  hours 
with  the  Venus  di  Milo." 

"  Oh,  we  must,"  said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  Think 
what  a  point  Mr.  Champion  made  of  it." 

"  We  're  not  architects  ;  and  did  n't  we  go  to 
Chartres  to  see  the  cathedral  to  please  him  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  and  shall  we  ever  forget  the  wonder  of 
it  as  long  as  we  live  ?  " 

So,  as  Edwina  in  her  inmost  heart  feared  lest  a 
treat  should  escape  them,  they  took  the  trip  through 
Touraine,  returning  to  Paris  for  one  more  night  in 
the  black  little  hotel  to  which  they  had  become  so 
attached,  to  arrange  their  luggage  for  a  fresh  start. 
The  only  coercion  in  the  delightful  irresponsibility 
of  their  trip  was  the  desire  Miss  Pritchard  had 
expressed  of  having  for  once  in  her  life  the  plea- 
sure of  following  the  summer.  The  Riviera  was  a 
name  to  them  only,  and  thither  they  had  deter- 


118       MISS  PRITCHARD' S    WEDDING   TRIP 

mined  to  go  on  a  tour  of  discovery.  Long  consul- 
tations with  Edwina's  most  loved  and  valued  friend, 
"  Blessed  Baedeker,"  had  decided  them  to  stop  first 
at  Cannes,  and  thence  flit  along  the  coast  of  the 
Mediterranean,  pausing  wherever  there  seemed 
most  attraction. 

Once  more  they  came  down  into  the  deserted 
dining-room  of  the  hotel  for  breakfast.  Their  de- 
voted waiter  Antoine  always  wore  a  sad  and  disap- 
proving smile  at  this  hour  as  he  ministered  to  them 
in  his  shirt-sleeves.  How  ladies  so  exceptionally 
gentilles  could  be  guilty  of  an  act  so  little  comme 
il  faut  as  to  take  their  coffee  in  the  dining-room 
instead  of  in  bed  was  a  grievous  problem  to  An- 
toine ;  and  Edwina  always  felt  his  reproach  at 
their  intrusion  ;  but  Miss  Pritchard  was  unhappy 
unless  she  could  air  their  rooms  in  New  England 
fashion,  at  a  proper  hour. 

One  fact  which  Eunice  could  not  master  was 
that  these  people,  hosts  and  servants,  could  not 
understand  English.  Edwina  explained  and  re- 
minded her  in  vain.  As  they  passed  out  from  the 
hotel  this  last  morning,  Miss  Pritchard  remarked 
to  their  smiling  landlord  that  it  was  really  cold 
weather.  The  polite  man  bowed  with  his  head  on 
one  side,  and  rubbed  his  hands. 

"  He  can't  understand  you,  cousin  Eunice. 
What's  the  use  of  embarrassing  him?"  said  Ed- 
wina, following  her  cousin  into  the  cab. 

"  Why,  I  only  said  it  was  cold,"  returned  Miss 
Pritchard.  "  I  supposed  he  had  common  sense." 


BY  LAND  AND  SEA  119 

They  nodded  back  regretfully  to  the  smiling, 
bowing  servants  surrounding  the  doorway.  Ed- 
wina's  pour  boires  had  been  entirely  satisfactory. 
Alas !  so  had  been  Paris  —  and  they  were  leav- 
ing it ! 


CHAPTER  VII 

CANNES 

IT  was  now  the  last  of  November,  and  our  trav- 
elers were  glad  of  their  furs.  The  landscape  be- 
gan to  look  wintry  ;  steam  gathered  on  the  car 
windows.  They  broke  their  trip  at  Lyons,  and 
after  a  restful  night  set  forth  again  on  their  jour- 
ney. 

They  had  taken  the  precaution  to  eat  a  beefsteak 
at  the  hotel  before  starting.  Not  so  a  French 
gentleman  of  about  fifty,  who  was  in  the  carriage 
with  them.  At  11.30  he  rose  and  took  down  from 
the  rack  an  oblong  basket,  a  panier  de  repas,  and 
proceeded  to  enjoy  a  dejeuner  a  la  fourchette  with 
a  deliberation  and  neatness  which  proved  almost 
subversive  of  his  companions'  good  manners.  The 
successful  discussion  of  a  six-course  lunch  with 
three  wines,  in  such  narrow  and  unstable  limits  as 
the  corner  of  a  railway  carriage,  was  a  work  of  art 
which  fascinated  their  observation  in  spite  of  their 
efforts  to  appear  unconscious. 

Edwina's  tickets  for  this  trip  lay  heavy  on  her 
mind.  Beyond  a  certain  point  they  required  to 
be  vise,  and  at  Tarascon,  where  there  was  a  stop, 
she  left  the  train  and  tried  to  find  the  proper 


CANNES  121 

official.  In  vain.  Nearly  every  one  she  addressed 
knew  nothing  of  the  matter,  and  the  shining  excep- 
tion indifferently  referred  her  to  an  office  across 
the  network  of  tracks  upon  which  were  standing 
other  trains  beside  her  own.  She  saw  no  way  of 
crossing,  so  boarded  her  car  again  in  despair. 

"Oh,  I  guess  it  will  be  all  right,"  said  Miss 
Pritchard  comfortingly.  "  They  would  n't  make 
it  so  hard  if  it  were  really  necessary." 

"  Yes,  they  would  —  in  Europe,"  returned  the 
girl,  rosy  and  annoyed.  "  They  are  all  Tartarins 
still,  there  at  Tarascon.  There  was  n't  an  ounce 
of  brains  among  the  whole  lot  of  officials  on  that 
platform." 

The  train  was  now  under  way  again.  The  man 
who  had  eaten  the  elaborate  lunch  gazed  at  Edwina 
through  his  spectacles.  He  saw  that  she  was  re- 
garding her  tickets,  and  at  last  he  leaned  forward 
and  asked  her  trouble. 

She  explained  as  well  as  she  was  able,  in  halting 
French. 

He  took  the  tickets,  examined  them,  and  then 
looked  back  at  her  with  prominent,  accusing  eyes. 
Why  had  she  not  arranged  the  matter  at  Tarascon  ? 
She  had  had  plenty  of  time.  "  Ces  billets  ne  sont 
pas  valable.  Comprenez-vous  ?  Us  ne  sont  pas 
valable." 

His  manner  and  spectacles  were  so  fierce,  and 
he  was  so  stout  and  dignified,  that  Edwina  replied 
meekly  that  she  supposed  the  tickets  were  value- 
less, but  that  she  had  not  been  able  to  find  the 
chef  de  gare. 


122       MISS  PRITCHARD1  S   WEDDING   TRIP 

One  could  always  find  the  chef  de  gare.  He 
wore  a  white  cap,  responded  the  stranger  ;  and  he 
was  so  emphatic  and  voluble,  and  apparently  out- 
raged, that  Edwina  wanted  to  smile  amid  her 
perplexity. 

Miss  Pritchard  merely  gathered  that  her  child 
was  being  scolded.  "  What  is  the  matter,  Ned  ?  " 
she  asked  in  tribulation. 

"  Nothing,  except  that  we  've  lost  some  money. 
I  'd  like  to  get  hold  of  Cook.  These  tickets  are 
good  for  nothing  the  way  they  are  now." 

The  other  persons  in  the  carriage  regarded  the 
Americans  curiously ;  but  the  trouble  was  evidently 
none  of  their  business.  The  stout  gentleman 
relapsed  into  stolid,  expressionless  silence.  He 
seemed  to  forget  that  he  still  held  Edwina's  tickets 
in  his  well-kept  hands,  and  the  girl  hadn't  the 
courage  to  ask  for  them. 

Miss  Pritchard  eyed  them  hungrily.  "  Do  you 
suppose  he  understands  English  ?  "  she  murmured. 

"  No,  I  'm  pretty  sure  he  does  n't." 

"  Well,  I  hope  you  're  not  going  to  let  him 
keep  those  tickets,  Edwina.  He  may  not  know 
everything,  and  you  can  explain  things,  I  'm  sure, 
to  the  conductor  —  whoever  it  is.  I  don't  suppose 
they  'd  have  anything  so  straightforward  as  a  con- 
ductor." 

"  Well,  we  can't  do  anything  while  we  're  flying 
along  like  this.  Wait  a  little  while.  I  don't  dare 
to  speak  to  him.  I  feel  as  if  he  had  stood  me  in 
the  corner  for  punishment." 


CANNES  123 

At  the  next  stop  Edwina  was  surprised  to  see 
the  portly  personage  rise  and  rush  for  the  door. 
"  You  don't  suppose  that  blessed  man  is  going  to 
try  to  help  us  at  this  little  hamlet !  "  Edwina 
consulted  the  time-table.  "  We  have  only  two 
minutes  !  " 

"  It  would  be  too  good  of  him !  "  said  Miss 
Pritchard.  "  Oh,  no  !  Men  are  all  too  selfish  — 
and  then  a  Frenchman  !  " 

"  I  know  it.  I  've  always  said  that  every  one 
of  them  was  possessed  of  an  evil  spirit  —  but  his 
taking  the  tickets  with  him  —  would  n't  that  be 
nice !  I  dread  to  have  some  old  railroad  man 
chatter  at  me  and  not  be  able  to  understand  him. 
This  man  speaks  so  beautifully.  Oh,  he  '11  miss 
the  train,  cousin  Eunice !  "  added  the  girl,  much 
perturbed,  as  the  time  was  nearly  up.  "  What 
shall  we  do?" 

Indeed,  the  guard  was  about  to  shut  the  door 
when  the  tall  stranger  appeared  in  haste,  and, 
breathing  heavily,  climbed  back  into  the  carriage. 
"  I  think  it  will  be  well,"  he  said  briefly  to  Edwina, 
and  explained  that  he  had  left  the  tickets  with  an 
official  on  the  train,  who  had  promised  to  make 
them  right. 

The  girl  summoned  her  most  grateful  French 
for  the  occasion,  and  the  stranger  accepted  it  with 
a  short,  unsmiling  bow.  It  required  his  entire 
attention  for  several  minutes  to  recover  his  breath. 

"  The  poor  dear !  "  murmured  Edwina  contritely, 
as  he  sat  there  puffing,  with  averted  eyes.  "  Are  n't 


124       MISS  PRITCHARUS    WEDDING    TRIP 

we  fortunate !  At  last  we  have  seen  politeness 
from  a  Frenchman  who  did  n't  want  to  sell  us 
something.  Don't  you  know,  cousin  Eunice,  how 
we  have  wondered  at  the  beauty  of  Paris  when  we 
never  could  see  a  man  who  seemed  capable  of  con- 
ceiving, much  less  designing,  its  buildings  and  gar- 
dens ?  This  man  is  a  discovery  for  us.  I  hope 
we  have  n't  been  the  death  of  him." 

The  day's  ride  had  been  an  interesting  one. 
Their  kind  friend  had  pointed  out  the  Pope's 
chateau  at  Avignon  and  the  old  fortification  about 
the  city.  They  had  seen  olive  groves,  and  women 
gathering  the  fruit ;  had  skirted  seventy-five  miles 
of  plain  where  the  only  protection  from  that  persist- 
ent wind  called  the  mistral  is  an  interminable  row 
of  cypresses  set  close  together  to  break  its  force. 
Stiff,  useful  barrier,  Eunice  and  Edwina  consid- 
ered them,  little  realizing  what  poetry  would  cling 
about  a  cypress-tree  ere  their  continental  trip  was 
finished. 

Before  darkness  fell,  the  stout  gentleman  raised 
his  hat  to  them  in  farewell,  and  they  were  left 
through  his  exertions  to  pursue  their  journey  in 
peace  of  mind.  They  leaned  back  in  opposite  cor- 
ners of  the  carriage  and  looked  idly  at  the  feeble 
light  in  the  roof,  or  closed  their  eyes.  Edwina's 
thoughts  reverted  to  the  cold  nights  at  Tour  while 
they  had  been  taking  the  chateaux  trip.  How 
impossible  it  had  been  to  heat  their  bedrooms  with 
the  open  fires.  How  their  breath  had  congealed 
upon  the  atmosphere.  It  was  cold  now.  Many 


CANNES  125 

times  during  the  day  it  had  been  necessary  to 
wipe  the  steam  from  the  car  windows  in  order  to 
see  out.  All  trees  but  the  olive  and  cypress  had 
been  bare. 

She  glanced  up,  drawing  her  golf  cape  over  her 
lap.  All  at  once  she  grasped  Miss  Pritchard  with 
a  suddenness  that  made  the  latter  start.  "  Cousin 
Eunice  !  The  Mediterranean  !  "  she  said. 

"You  don't  say  so!"  ejaculated  the  other,  sit- 
ting up  and  looking  out  on  the  wide  sheet  of  water 
illumined  in  patches  by  the  moon. 

Grassy  headlands  jutted  from  the  shore,  and 
large  rocks  met  and  broke  the  gentle  waves,  as  the 
train  glided  swiftly  along. 

"  Did  you  suppose  we  ever  really  should  see  it?" 
asked  the  girl. 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  did,  though  I  must  say  it 's 
a  good  while  since  we  left  Paris." 

"  Paris  !  America,  I  'm  thinking  of,  and  my 
geography." 

They  were  both  gazing  upon  the  scene  eagerly. 

"  I  must  say  it  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  coast  of 
Maine,"  remarked  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Perish  the  thought !  You  ought  to  be  thinking 
of  Napoleon  and  how  he  set  sail  for  Elba." 

It  was  half  past  ten  when  they  reached  Cannes. 
Everything  was  so  quiet  about  the  station  that 
Edwina  could  scarcely  believe  it  was  the  right 
place,  and  when  she  was  convinced,  there  seemed 
not  a  porter  to  be  had.  In  vain  she  called,  and 
ran  up  and  down  the  platform,  and  at  last  a  fellow- 


126       MISS  PBITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

traveler  took  pity  upon  her  and  lifted  their  heavy 
hand-luggage  out  upon  the  platform.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  effort  to  rescue  their  steamer  trunks 
from  the  van.  There  was  no  official  to  take  any 
interest  in  their  problem  or  to  gladden  their  ears 
with  a  word  of  English  ;  but  a  man  was  slowly 
and  indifferently  pulling  over  the  trunks,  and 
Edwina,  by  dint  of  smiles  and  personal  supervision, 
succeeded  at  last  in  getting  theirs. 

"  If  Mr.  Champion  were  only  here !  "  groaned 
Miss  Pritchard.  "  This  is  the  queerest  place 
we  've  ever  been  in,  Edwina,  and  it 's  midnight, 
and  there  's  nobody  around."  For  the  train  pulled 
out,  and  the  dim  station  was  nearly  deserted. 

Edwina  smiled  gayly.  "  It  is  n't  midnight.  This 
is  only  a  taste  of  southern  indolence.  There  are 
some  hotel  men  coming  across  the  tracks  now." 
She  yielded  their  belongings  to  the  first  one  who 
presented  himself,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  tired 
travelers  were  seated  in  solitary  state  in  an  omni- 
bus, driving  through  the  darkened  streets  of  the 
French  town. 

"  It 's  just  like  a  dream !  "  suggested  Edwina. 

"  Not  so  good  as  the  one  I  'm  going  to  have 
before  another  hour,  —  unless  there  are  bells  and 
every  other  noise  combined." 

"  It 's  like  a  city  of  the  dead  so  far,"  returned 
the  girl.  "  I  never  saw  such  a  quiet  place." 

"  Just  supposing  it  should  be  real  quiet  and 
nice!"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  so  wistfully  that  Ed- 
wina patted  her  hand. 


CANNES  127 

'  Jf  it  is  n't,  we  '11  move  on.  You  're  going  to 
have  a  quiet  winter  somewhere,  dear  little  Eunice. 
We  '11  muffle  all  the  bells  and  eat  all  the  roosters, 
if  necessary." 

The  first  warning  they  had  of  proximity  to  their 
hotel  was  a  sudden  burst  of  light  from  somewhere. 
They  now  observed  that  they  had  approached  a 
large  dark  building  whose  steps  and  vestibule  had 
gleamed  electrically  at  the  arrival  of  the  omnibus. 
Host  and  servants  came  forward  hospitably,  and 
before  long  Eunice  and  Edwina  were  again  by 
themselves  in  a  couple  of  communicating  rooms. 

"  Is  n't  it  odd  to  find  wicker  furniture  ?  "  asked 
Edwina,  looking  around  at  the  pretty  airy  chairs 
and  divans.  "  Lace  canopies  over  the  beds,  too ! 
Well,  it  would  be  a  brave  mosquito  who  would 
venture  out  in  such  a  day  as  we  have  had." 

The  thoughts  of  both  reverted  to  the  clouds  and 
cold  they  had  left  in  Paris  ;  the  dingy  furniture  in 
their  bedroom  at  the  hotel,  and  the  procession  of 
baskets  of  wood  which  had  been  their  defense 
against  the  elements  during  the  brief  time  since 
the  cold  set  in.  A  bell  striking  eleven  sounded 
so  distant  that  Miss  Pritchard  said  good-night  most 
cheerfully,  and  in  a  short  time  both  travelers  were 
asleep. 

The  locked  shutters  of  Edwina's  windows  looked 
very  white  and  clean  to  her  waking  eyes  the  follow- 
ing morning.  The  rims  of  light  along  their  inter- 
stices showed  that  it  was  bright  day.  As  she  lay 
there  wondering  if  Miss  Pritchard  were  awake,  all 


128       MISS  PRITCIIARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

at  once  she  heard  a  strange  sound.  It  was  the  coo- 
ing of  a  wild  dove.  She  lay  in  the  bower  of  blue 
and  white  which  made  the  hotel  room  so  strangely 
airy  and  pleasant,  and  listened  to  the  bird's  note 
with  surprise.  A  strong  curiosity  assailed  her  to 
see  what  sort  of  country  could  inspire  birds  to  sing 
at  this  season. 

Moving  to  the  window,  she  quietly  unfastened 
and  opened  the  shutters,  and  the  startling  surprise 
of  the  view  brought  the  color  to  her  face.  A  magic 
wand  seemed  to  have  been  waved  over  the  earth. 
Frosty,  withered  fields  had  vanished.  Instead  of 
gaunt  and  leafless  skeletons,  tall  palms  spread  their 
fans  abroad.  Orange  and  lemon  trees  full  of  fruit 
filled  the  gardens.  Roses  climbed  a  tall  mimosa 
and  hung  luxuriant  blossoms  amid  the  delicate  foli- 
age high  in  air.  Close  by  stretched  the  sparkling 
sea ;  the  Esterel  Mountains,  losing  themselves  in  a 
blue  haze,  were  on  the  right. 

Miss  Pritchard's  door  flew  open.  "  Did  you 
ever !  "  ejaculated  the  two  overjoyed  pilgrims  in 
the  same  breath. 

"  Why,  it 's  Paradise,  and  I  can't  possibly  under- 
stand finding  it  so  near  !  "  said  Eunice.  "  A  lump 
came  right  up  in  my  throat  when  I  first  looked  out 
the  window.  Does  n't  the  trunk  of  that  palm-tree 
look  just  like  a  giant  pineapple  ?  And  I  'm  cer- 
tain the  foliage  spreads  nearly  thirty  feet.  I  'm 
going  to  find  somebody  who  talks  English,  for  I  'm 
sure  you  would  n't  be  willing  to  ask  all  the  ques- 
tions that  are  in  my  head  !  " 


CANNES  129 

For  two  weeks  the  problem  had  been  how  to 
keep  warm.  Now  with  startling  suddenness  it  was 
again  midsummer.  Eunice  and  Edwina  walked 
in  a  happy  dream  about  the  hotel  grounds  and 
along  the  palm-lined  avenue  that  ran  beside  the 
seashore,  bordered  by  villas  and  hotels  of  varied 
architecture,  each  set  in  its  semi-tropical  garden  of 
mimosa,  orange,  lemon,  palm,  and  eucalyptus  trees, 
and  always  with  riotous  roses  climbing  to  audacious 
heights  or  hanging  pendent  from  a  terrace  in  such 
profusion  as  to  suggest  impossible  stage  settings. 

Warm,  tired,  and  happy,  they  returned  to  the 
hotel  to  luncheon.  There  were  several  small  tables 
in  the  dining-room,  and  their  neighbors  at  one  of 
these  were  a  stout,  silent  woman,  and  a  gaunt 
old  man  whose  black  beard  and  scanty  locks  were 
fast  whitening,  and  whose  haggard,  discontented 
eyes  looked  out  from  a  network  of  quarrelsome 
wrinkles.  The  corners  of  his  unsmiling,  thin  lips 
were  down-drawn,  and  he  regarded  Eunice  and 
Edwina  with  cold  curiosity.  They  had  already 
met  at  breakfast,  so  the  newcomers  now  bowed  to 
their  English  cousins  with  a  word  of  greeting  as 
they  took  their  seats. 

"  You  are  Americans,"  remarked  the  man. 

"  We  can't  deny  it,"  said  Edwina  cheerily. 

"  I  need  hear  an  American  say  only  one  word  to 
know  her  nationality,  and  that  word  is  Paris.  You 
said  it  this  morning." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  returned  Edwina.  "  Our  r  is 
so  different  from  the  pretty  English  r." 


130       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Her  pleasant  speech  galvanized  the  stout  lady 
into  an  utterance. 

"  It  is,  is  n't  it  ?  "  she  said. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Cannes  ?  "  pursued  the 
old  gentleman  in  his  harsh,  tired  voice. 

"  It  is  the  prettiest  place  we  have  ever  seen." 

"  Ow !  " 

After  this  comment  he  ate  in  silence  for  half  a 
minute,  then  :  "  Have  you  visited  England?  " 

"  Yes,  but  its  beauty  is  so  different." 

"  It  is,  is  n't  it  ?  "  said  the  stout  lady. 

"  Ow  !  "  said  her  companion. 

"  We  did  n't  think  to  take  parasols  this  morning," 
remarked  Miss  Pritchard,  "  and  really  the  sun  was 
very  hot." 

"Dangerous  —  very,"  declared  the  Englishman. 
"  It  will  give  you  a  congestion  without  fail ;  "  then, 
noticing  that  rays  were  striking  his  shoulder  at  the 
present  moment,  he  summoned  a  waiter  to  draw 
the  shade.  "  The  sun  here  shining  on  the  back 
of  the  neck  often  gives  one  typhoid  fever,  or  else 
drives  one  mad,"  he  announced  oracularly. 

"  It  does,  does  n't  it,  and  it 's  very  tiresome," 
purred  the  stout  lady,  her  soft  voice  falling  like  oil 
on  the  other's  harsh  accents.  "  Me  brother  would 
never  come  here  if  it  were  n't  for  his  tubes." 

"  Humph !  "  ejaculated  her  companion  ungrate- 
fully. Then  letting  his  cold  glance  rest  on  Edwina 
again,  "  I  suppose  you  walked  on  the  Croisette  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  so  —  down  by  the  water  ?  " 

"  Too  many  people  there.     I  never  go.     Try  the 


CANNES  131 

Boulevard  Middy.  Walk  up  through  the  alleys 
of  plane-trees  and  around  by  the  shipping,  and 
you  '11  come  out  on  the  Middy.  It 's  quiet  there." 

Edwina  thanked  him.  Somehow  she  could  not 
refrain  from  a  feeling  of  compassion  for  the  crusty 
old  man,  whose  face  looked  as  if  happiness  were  a 
lost  art ;  and  she  certainly  pitied  the  stout,  soft 
sister  who  was  the  companion  of  his  sour  search 
for  health. 

"  Guard  against  the  changes  if  you  don't  want 
to  fall  ill,"  he  went  on.  "  You  will  see  when  the 
sun  goes  down  the  contrast  is  very  trying.  The 
fires  must  be  lighted  at  once." 

"  Then  it  is  cool  in  the  evening  ?  "  said  the  girl 
with  interest.  "  That 's  the  reason,  cousin  Eunice, 
that  we  did  n't  suspect  last  night  that  we  had 
reached  Eden." 

"  The  hour  of  sunset  is  worst  of  all,"  went  on 
the  Englishman  in  measured  tones.  "  My  sister  is 
sometimes  idiot  enough  to  be  shopping  at  sunset." 

"  Not  very  often,  Edward,  am  I  ?  " 

"  The  Rue  d'Antibes  is  a  cold,  damp  death-trap 
at  that  hour.  It 's  well  to  remember  it." 

Eunice  sent  a  solemn,  inquiring  look  at  the 
couple,  but  the  lady  was  apparently  unmoved  by 
her  brother's  characterization.  In  fact,  she  con- 
strued Miss  Pritchard's  glance  as  an  inquiry. 

"  The  shops  are  very  dear  in  Cannes,"  she  said, 
"  quite  different  to  London." 

Edwina  wanted  to  say  "  Ow  !  "  but  she  restrained 
herself.  "  We  saw  that  they  were  very  attractive. 


132       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

My  cousin,  Miss  Pritchard,  is  still  misled  when  it 
comes  to  understanding  the  price  of  anything  in 
francs.  She  is  always  saying  to  me,  '  Oh !  don't 
tell  me  how  much  it  is  in  that  stuff !  Tell  me  in 
money.' ' 

"  Ay,"  responded  the  Englishman,  "  twenty-five 
francs  doesn't  sound  much  like  a  pound,  does 
it?" 

"  Oh,  pounds  and  shillings  puzzle  cousin  Eunice 
quite  as  much." 

"  Ha,  you  meant  '  dollars,'  then,"  said  the  old 
man,  with  implied  scorn.  "  You  said  '  money.'  " 

"  What  a  cantankerous  creature  !  "  exclaimed 
Miss  Pritchard  when  later  she  and  Edwina  were 
alone.  "  I  would  n't  talk  to  him  so  much,  Ned." 

"  Oh,  I  have  to  talk  —  I  'm  so  happy  !  "  returned 
the  girl.  "  Poor  man  !  The  idea  of  coming  to 
this  garden  of  Eden  and  thinking  about  typhoid 
fever  and  insane  asylums  and  congestion  and  death- 
traps !  And  he  has  to  live  with  himself,  and  so 
does  that  poor,  meek  sister !  They  take  themselves 
so  seriously  that  we  don't  need  to,  that 's  one  com- 
fort. Now,  cousin  Eunice,  what  shall  we  do  this 
afternoon?" 

"  Well,  what  do  you  want  to  do  ? "  Eunice's 
brow  had  cleared.  She  gazed  up  at  her  tall  com- 
panion with  the  usual  loving  admiration  as  they 
leaned  on  the  railing  of  their  balcony,  looking  on 
the  tossing,  bright  water. 

The  girl  made  a  gesture  of  mock  despair. 
"  There  is  such  an  embarrassment  of  riches,  I 


CANNES  133 

don't  know  what  to  say.  We  might  go  to  the  Rue 
d'Antibes  and  commit  some  delightful  extrava- 
gance in  a  shop,  or  go  down  to  the  Croisette  and 
sit  on  one  of  those  seats  and  watch  the  sea  break 
on  the  islands,  or  we  might  take  a  drive  back 
among  the  hills ;  but  I  think  perhaps  our  letters 
will  have  come.  We  might  go  to  the  post-office 
and  then  hunt  up  Edward's  favorite  walk." 

"Whose?" 

"  I  don't  know  his  other  name  yet,  but  sister 
called  him  Edward." 

"  Ned  Wilder !  "  laughed  Miss  Pritchard  re- 
provingly. 

They  found  some  letters  awaiting  them,  and  it 
seemed  to  Eunice  that  Edwina  was  altogether  too 
pleased  by  this  fact.  Then  they  strolled  to  the 
Croisette,  and  turning  to  the  right,  passed  beside 
the  alleys  of  bare  plane-trees  and  the  harbor  as 
they  had  been  told  ;  then  around  Mont  Chevalier 
with  its  old,  old  houses  and  church,  until  the 
Boulevard  du  Midi  was  gained.  Edwina  drew  a 
deep  breath  of  pleasure.  At  their  right  on  a  steep 
height  were  placed  white  embowered  villas  and 
terraces,  and  on  their  left  the  sea  rolled  in  in  stately 
sweep  over  a  broad,  sandy  beach. 

"  Edward's  looks  belie  him,"  declared  Edwina. 
"  He  certainly  knows  a  good  thing  when  he  sees 
it." 

"  Ned  Wilder,  stop  !  You  must  n't  be  so  imper- 
tinent." 

"  Keep  your  parasol  up,  little  Eunice.     I  can't 


134       MISS  PR1TCHAR&S    WEDDING   TRIP 

have  those  brains  addled.  I  don't  know  how  to  ask 
for  an  insane  asylum  in  French." 

"  But  it  is  so  cool  and  breezy  here,"  protested 
Miss  Pritchard. 

"  It 's  fine  !  Here  is  a  seat.  I  '11  hold  the  para- 
sol and  read  my  letters  to  you.  Why,  here  's  one 
from  Mr.  Glenn  !  I  did  n't  see  that." 

"  I  did,"  responded  Miss  Pritchard  dryly.  "  I 
noticed  it  immediately ;  and  it  does  seem  to  me  in 
very  poor  taste  for  him  to  keep  on  writing  this  way 
and  taking  your  time." 

"  It  is  so  valuable,  is  n't  it  ?  "  laughed  Edwina. 
"  I  call  it  very  nice  of  him  to  go  on  sending  me 
letters  when  I  return  such  poor  and  rare  replies. 
I  call  him  a  friend  worth  having.'-' 

Eunice's  jealous  sense  made  much  of  the  fact 
that  the  girl  opened  this  letter  first.  Had  Edwina 
saved  it  until  the  last,  it  would  have  conveyed 
quite  as  objectionable  an  impression.  Then,  too, 
she  scanned  the  contents  in  silence  instead  of  read- 
ing them  aloud,  as  she  had  proposed  doing. 

Miss  Pritchard  looked  unseeingly  at  the  charm- 
ing sky-line  of  the  Esterel  Mountains  and  the  line 
of  foam  fringing  their  base.  Was  she  never  to  be 
rid  of  Ralph  Glenn  ?  Must  his  persistence  insure 
no  break  in  a  friendship  which  would  be  as  dan- 
gerous upon  their  return  as  it  had  been  on  their 
departure  ? 

"Ned,"  she  said  impulsively,  as  at  last  the  girl 
dropped  Glenn's  letter  and  took  up  the  next,  "  I 
should  really  be  glad  if  you  were  to  tell  Mr.  Glenn 


CANNES  135 

frankly  that  I  prefer  you  not  to  correspond  with 
men." 

"  Oh,  cousin  Eunice  !  "  Edwina's  clear  skin 
flushed,  and  her  eyes  as  they  met  her  cousin's  were 
full  of  surprise.  "Don't  you  think  that  would 
sound  awfully  prim  and  —  and  silly  ?  " 

"  It  would  n't  have  been  considered  so  in  my 
young  days." 

"  You  can  hardly  call  such  a  one-sided  affair  a 
correspondence,"  said  Edwina,  recovering  herself. 
"  Here,  I  did  n't  offer  you  the  letter  simply  because 
I  did  n't  think  it  would  interest  you ;  it 's  mostly 
about  a  new  cotillon  club.  Read  it,  dear  little 
Eunice,  and  fancy  how  comical  it  would  be  to  re- 
spond to  this  sort  of  letter  by  an  announcement 
that  my  cousin  did  n't  wish  me  to  correspond  with 
men." 

An  irrepressible  laugh  broke  the  lines  of  the 
pursed  lips  with  which  Edwina  finished  her 
speech. 

"  Then  don't  respond  at  all." 

"  Oh,  it  would  never  do  to  ignore  totally  a  man 
who  sends  one  the  sort  of  roses  Mr.  Glenn  does  ! 
How,"  with  a  sigh,  "how  traveling  in  a  foreign 
land  does  make  one  appreciate  American  men  !  " 

Miss  Pritchard's  gentle  eyes  gazed  into  the 
roguish  ones  with  such  seriousness  that  Edwina 
took  the  hand  that  wore  her  father's  ring.  "  You  're 
jealous  of  me,  cousin !  "  she  said  accusingly. 

"Why  shouldn't  I  be?"  sadly.  "You  have 
hosts  of  friends ;  I  have  nobody  but  you  in  all  the 
world." 


136       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  Girlish  exaggeration,  little  Eunice  !  You 
might  have  any  friends  you  wanted.  As  it  is,  I 
can  mention  several :  for  instance,  Miranda  and  — 
and  Mr.  Champion." 

"  Pooh  !  "  said  Miss  Pritchard  with  an  unwill- 
ing smile. 

"  You  say  pooh  ?  Was  it  nothing  for  me  the 
night  we  arrived  in  Cannes,  to  see  you  walking  up 
and  down  the  platform  at  the  station  invoking  Mr. 
Champion  in  impassioned  accents,  at  a  time  when 
you  should  have  been  reposefully,  smilingly  trust- 
ing me  and  my  command  of  the  French  tongue  ?  " 

"  French  tongue !  It  was  command  of  hands 
and  feet  we  wanted  —  and  no  porters  about  and 
everybody  half  asleep  and  indifferent,  and  the 
train  ready  to  go  off  with  all  our  things  in  it." 

"  Well,  we  know  now  the  sort  of  sunny,  dreamy 
day  those  porters  had  all  been  having.  If  we  had 
known  then,  we  should  not  have  been  so  surprised 
at  their  indolence.  Now  I  must  finish  these  let- 
ters ;  and  just  be  sure,  cousin  Eunice,"  the  bright 
voice  grew  gentler,  "  I  care  more  for  your  little 
finger  than  I  do  for  this  whole  lapful  of  people." 

Miss  Pritchard's  brow  cleared.  "  I  don't  know 
as  it 's  wicked  for  me  to  be  glad  of  that,  Ned.  If 
I  did  n't  really  believe,"  her  eyes  grew  doubtful, 
"  that  I  cared  more  for  your  happiness  than  I  do 
for  my  own,  I  should  be  ready  to  jump  into  this 
ocean." 

"  Of  course  you  do,  dear,"  said  Edwina,  opening 
an  envelope. 


CANNES  137 

"  I  'm  just  going  to  walk  a  little  way  up  the 
street  while  you  read,"  said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  That 
smooth  walk  and  those  gardens  look  so  attractive." 

So  Edwina  was  left  alone  with  the  music  of  the 
surf  foaming  snow-white  upon  the  broad  sands, 
where  a  few  children  and  their  maids  were  playing, 
armed  with  pails  and  shovels.  She  could  not  tell 
how  long  she  had  been  reading  when  a  voice  beside 
her  spoke. 

"  This  is  remarkable  !  "  The  sudden  presence 
and  voice  sent  color  all  over  her  face. 

"  You  here,  Mr.  Champion  ?  "  She  placed  her 
hand  for  a  second  in  his  outstretched  one.  "  How 
does  this  happen?  " 

"  It  is  cold  in  Brittany.     May  I  sit  down  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  public  seat,"  returned  Edwina,  though 
her  face  was  less  ungracious  than  her  words. 

"  Don't  you  think  it  is  about  time  you  forgave 
me? "  asked  the  young  man  as  he  took  the  vacant 
place  on  the  bench  and  regarded  the  rosy  face  in- 
tently. 

"  For  what,  pray  ?  " 

"  I  have  n't  the  least  idea." 

"  Nor  have  I.     You  are  imaginative." 

"  No."  A  decided  shake  of  the  head.  "  I 
never  was.  Always  have  to  have  everything  ex- 
plained to  me." 

"  How  tiresome  — '  tarsom,'  as  the  English  ladies 
say,"  returned  Edwina  suddenly  and  ostentatiously 
cheerful.  "  Have  you  been  in  Cannes  before  ? 
Why  did  n't  you  tell  us  how  lovely  it  was?  '' 


138       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  I  've  put  my  brains  to  the  question  by  all  the 
inquisitorial  torture  I  could  think  of,  and  the  only 
information  they  have  given  is  meagre.  Did  you 
feel  insulted  by  the  ramshackle  little  wagon  and 
the  cockneys  that  I  got  for  you  at  Ascot  ?  There 
was  n't  anything  else  on  wheels  to  be  had." 

"  Surely  you  don't  think  me  quite  so  foolish 
and  ungrateful ! "  said  the  girl,  crimson  now. 
"  Was  n't  it  bad  enough  to  delay  you  and  incom- 
mode your  whole  party  without  being  over-partic- 
ular as  to  what  you  found  for  us  ?  " 

"  It  only  kept  them  five  minutes  —  what  was 
that  ?  Nobody  minded,"  he  answered  in  a  puzzled, 
honest  tone. 

"  It  was  a  pity  cousin  Eunice  was  so  unneces- 
sarily nervous  ;  but  why  rake  up  that  episode  ? 
Did  n't  we  thank  you  sufficiently  ?  " 

In  the  silence  that  followed  Champion  met  her 
hard,  bright  eyes  with  several  little  thoughtful 
nods.  "  It  was  that,  then.  Otherwise,  you  could 
n't  say  what  our  British  friends  would  call  a  nasty 
thing  like  that.  Well,  do  you  know,  I  really  can't 
understand  it  at  all.  I  only  wish  you  'd  be  again 
as  you  were  on  the  ship  —  and  sometime,  just  to 
educate  me,  tell  me  what  feature  of  that  day  you 
could  lay  up  against  me  so  long.  Miss  Pritchard 
was  n't  unnecessarily  nervous.  The  situation  was 
quite  as  awkward  as  she  thought  it.  I  will  tell 
you  now,  and  then  you  will  see  that  you  have  n't 
thanked  me  enough,  that  I  bribed  that  driver 
heavily  to  take  you  both  and  go.  He  was  waiting 


CANNES  139 

for  two  passengers,  both  men ;  so  under  the  cir- 
cumstances I  could  n't  have  any  compunctions." 

"  How  much  did  you  give  him  ?  "  asked  Edwina, 
breathing-  faster. 

"  Thank  you  !  "  returned  her  companion,  remov- 
ing his  hat  with  ironical  deference.  His  eyes  con- 
tained sparks  now,  but  fortunately  Miss  Pritchard 
saw  him  ;  and  being  short-sighted  and  thinking 
the  salute  was  intended  for  her,  she  hastened  her 
advancing  steps. 

"  I  did  n't  know  who  else  it  could  be,"  she  said 
in  pleased  surprise,  while  Champion  sprang  to  his 
feet.  "  When  I  saw  a  gentleman  sitting  with  my 
little  girl  I  just  said  to  myself  how  nice  it  would 
be  "  Miss  Pritchard  threw  more  cordiality  into 
her  tone  as  Edwina's  expression  impressed  itself 
on  her  consciousness. 

"  I  never  knew  her  to  take  such  a  dislike  to  a 
human  being,"  was  her  appalled  mental  parenthe- 
sis as  she  hastened  to  attempt  to  offset  her  child's 
manner  by  a  continuation  of  welcome. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

REMINISCENCES 

CHAMPION  gave  the  newcomer  the  place  he  had 
vacated,  and  himself  took  a  seat  on  a  log  close  by. 

"  How  well  you  are  looking,  Miss  Pritchard.  I 
need  n't  ask  if  you  have  been  enjoying  yourself. 
How  did  you  like  Paris  ?  Of  course  you  went  out 
to  Versailles  ?  " 

"  Yes,  we  did,  and  walked  miles  through  that 
palace,  with  the  paintings  and  the  glitter,  and  then 
over  the  Grand  Trianon,  the  man  that  explains 
things  chattering  all  the  time.  Edwina  could  n't 
understand  it  all,  could  you,  dear  ?  " 

There  was  an  almost  imploring  note  in  Miss 
Pritchard's"  question,  and  as  she  turned  to  her 
companion  she  observed  with  relief  that  the  hos- 
tile look  in  her  face  had  faded. 

"  Not  nearly  all,"  replied  the  girl,  bringing  her 
gaze  back  from  the  blue-green  waves  and  facing 
Champion.  "  The  guide  evidently  noticed  the 
vacuity  of  my  countenance,  for  he  made  several 
confidential  asides  in  my  direction  about  Queen 
Victoria.  I  could  get  along  with  French  very  well 
if  they  'd  let  me  do  all  the  talking  and  give  me 
time." 


REMINISCENCES  141 

"  Yes,  they  always  thought  we  were  English," 
said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  In  the  shops,  clerks  used 
to  smile  and  tell  me  things  cost  —  for  instance, 
three  francs  tuppence  ha'penny  —  as  if  those  things 
were  n't  much  worse  than  francs  !  " 

"  Poor  cousin  Eunice !  "  Edvvina  smiled  remi- 
niscently.  After  a  moment  she  continued  :  "  There 
was  a  clock  at  the  Grand  Trianon  that  we  would 
have  accepted  if  they  had  pressed  it  upon  us.  It 
was  a  bunch  of  gold  flowers." 

"  How  pretty  it  was,"  sighed  Miss  Pritchard. 
"  What  a  beautiful  place  it  is  altogether ;  such 
fine  trees,  and  woods  just  like  the  country !  " 

"  Of  course  you  went  over  Marie  Antoinette's 
playhouse  ?  "  suggested  Champion. 

"  Oh,  the  little  Trianon,"  responded  Eunice 
with  enthusiasm.  "  We  did  n't  want  to  come 
away  from  that  pretty  village  at  all.  We  looked 
in  through  the  dairy  window  at  the  marble  slab 
where  the  queen  made  butter,  and  walked  around 
among  all  the  cottages  and  saw  the  moss  growing 
on  their  thatched  roofs,  and  we  sat  on  the  bridge 
and  watched  the  gold-fish  and  carp  in  the  winding 
river,  and  the  sun  came  through  the  foliage  of 
those  great  trees.  Do  you  remember,  Ned,  how 
transparent  the  leaves  looked  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  was  enchanting  that  afternoon  ;  but 
how  tired  we  were !  Wre  asked  a  man  the  pur- 
pose of  one  of  the  prettiest  cottages,  and  he  said  it 
was  the  boudoir  of  la  reine  where  she  reposed  her- 
self in  a  wrapper  of  percale  when  fatigued  !  We 


142       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

would  have  accepted  any  sort  of  wrappers  if  we 
could  have  reposed  ourselves  anywhere ;  but  we 
were  n't  invited." 

"  So  we  rode  back  to  Paris  on  top  of  the  tram. 
Think  of  me,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  laughing, 
"  climbing  to  the  top  of  trams  and  omnibuses  !  " 

"  Was  it  against  your  better  judgment  ? "  in- 
quired Champion. 

She  shook  her  head  at  his  smiling  face.  "  Of 
course  it  was  until  " 

"  Until  she  found  how  much  better  she  could 
view  these  strange  people,"  explained  Edwina. 

"  Yes,  people  who  live  on  the  sidewalk  instead 
of  in  houses,"  said  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Wait  till  you  get  to  Italy  to  see  people  live  on 
the  sidewalk,"  remarked  Champion.  "  How  do 
you  like  the  Exposition  buildings  ?  I  stopped  and 
saw  them  just  before  coming  down  here." 

"  Oh,  we  had  many  a  good  time  riding  up  and 
down  the  river  watching  the  buildings  go  on, 
Isn't  it  wonderful  to  have  such  a  pretty  river  in  a 
city  ?  When  it  winds  under  those  gray  arches  and 
you  get  out  to  where  the  banks  are  green  and  hilly 
and  they  have  such  beautiful  sunsets  —  why,  it 's 
grand.  How  much  more  European  cities  manage 
to  keep  the  beauty  of  the  country  than  any  of  ours 
do  at  home  !  " 

Edwina  watched  her  cousin's  animation  wonder- 
ingly.  Could  this  little  woman,  chatting  volubly 
to  one  of  the  opposite  sex,  be  the  same  who  in 
Boston  endured  the  presence  of  the  most  agreeable 


REMINISCENCES  143 

masculine  acquaintance  only  with  suspicion  and  re- 
pressed aversion  ?  The  change  was  due  in  part  to 
the  blossoming  of  Miss  Pritchard's  faculties  in  the 
freedom  and  novelty  of  the  last  six  months'  ex- 
periences ;  but  it  was  also  due,  Edwina  knew,  to 
the  fact  that  her  little  guardian  felt  the  responsi- 
bility of  keeping  a  cheerful  atmosphere  about  the 
man  whom  she  had  taken  into  her  favor  for  his 
kind  services. 

She  sat  in  silence  while  Miss  Pritchard  de- 
scanted on  the  charms  of  St.  Cloud  as  they  had 
seen  it  one  day  when  the  fountains  were  playing. 
Eunice  described  the  twelve  terraces  with  their 
varied  sculpture,  the  marble  groups  at  the  top 
thrown  into  relief  by  the  dark  greens  of  the  sur- 
rounding forest,  and  how  the  water  splashed  down 
this  broad  staircase  in  noisy  cascades,  every  one  of 
the  carved  sea-creatures  ornamenting  the  terraces 
sending  a  flood  from  its  jaws,  the  whole  emptying 
into  an  oblong  basin  studded  with  occasional  jets, 
gracefully  rising  and  falling.  Edwina  let  her  pro- 
ceed, although  she  was  aware  how  familiar  a  scene 
that  must  be  to  Miss  Pritchard's  listener. 

"  You  tell  very  pretty  stories.  Go  on,"  said 
Champion.  He  had  made  himself  comfortable 
upon  the  sand,  his  back  against  the  log. 

"  Oh,  we  could  go  on  indefinitely,  could  n't  we, 
Ned  ?  We  had  a  fine  time  at  the  two  big  gardens 
—  the  Acclimation  one  and  the  garden  of  plants. 
You  know  they  both  have  animals." 

"  Cousin  Eunice,  Air.  Champion  lived  in  Paris  a 
long  time,"  suggested  Edwina. 


144       MISS  PEITCHAEVS    WELLING   TRIP 

"  Don't  mind  her,  Miss  Pritchard,  please." 

"  Oh,  I  always  mind  her,"  said  Eunice  quickly. 
"  I  'm  a  properly  brought-up  American  guard- 
ian." 

Her  cousin's  suddenly  dry  tone  caused  the  girl 
to  look  at  her  in  doubt.  Eunice  occasionally  had 
fits  of  spirit  and  decision  even  against  her  idol. 
Edwina  saw  that,  having  made  a  special  and  un- 
usual effort,  the  worm  had  turned,  and  a  speak- 
ing glance  from  her  cousin  warned  her  that  she 
was  now  expected  to  take  her  turn. 

"  Yes,  I  think  no  two  people  ever  enjoyed  out- 
door Paris  more  than  we  did,"  she  remarked. 
"  We  lived  close  to  the  Tuileries,  and  often  sat  in 
the  gardens  on  our  way  either  to  or  from  a  visit  to 
the  Venus ;  the  flowers,  and  tame  sparrows,  and 
always  the  people,  were  so  entertaining.  The 
great  white  poodles  coming  up  snowy  from  their 
scrub  in  the  river,  with  fresh  blue  ribbons,  always 
amused  us,  and  the  small  black  and  tans  dressed 
in  tailor-made  blankets  with  storm  collars  and 
pockets  with  tiny  handkerchiefs.  We  used  to 
take  books  with  us  to  the  gardens  and  try  to  read, 
but  there  was  always  too  much  to  see." 

"  Of  course  you  formed  the  patisserie  habit  ?  " 

"  Naturally ;  and  I  see  Cannes  is  not  the  place 
to  break  it." 

Miss  Pritchard's  countenance  had  relaxed  into 
such  complacency  that  Edwina  continued  :  "  We 
thought  Paris  by  gaslight  quite  as  marvelous  a 
spectacle  as  it  is  called.  Do  you  remember, 


REMINISCENCES  145 

cousin  Eunice,  that  Sunday  afternoon  when  we 
took  a  cab  by  the  hour  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne? " 

"  Yes,  when  the  coachman  coolly  explained  that 
the  reason  he  drove  so  slowly  was  because  other- 
wise the  course  would  be  too  cheap  !  " 

"  Well,"  looking  back  at  Champion,  "  afterward 
we  sat  in  the  Avenue  Bois  de  Boulogne  and 
watched  the  driving ;  then  sauntered  with  the  pro- 
cession as  far  as  the  Arc  de  FEtoile.  By  the  time 
we  found  our  'bus  and  climbed  to  the  roof,  it  was 
dark.  What  views  we  had  that  evening  !  Every- 
thing on  wheels  in  Paris  seemed  to  be  out,  and 
every  carriage  had  two  lamps.  When  we  had  nearly 
reached  the  Tuileries,  the  long  uphill  perspective 
of  the  Champs  Elysees  was  alive  with  thousands 
of  glowing  lights  surmounted  by  the  grand  arch. 
The  fountains  in  the  Place  de  la  Concorde  were 
ghostly  white,  and  so  were  the  statues  in  the 
Tuileries.  We  walked  home  through  the  gardens, 
and  as  we  crossed  the  Pont  Royal  the  Seine  was 
shimmering  with  colored  reflections.  It  was  a 
picture  to  stay  with  one  indefinitely." 

Champion  watched  the  speaker's  vivacious  face 
attentively  ;  and  when  she  had  finished  he  addressed 
Eunice.  "  I  fancy  you  have  a  very  good  courier, 
Miss  Pritchard." 

"  Oh,  she  's  the  best  in  the  world ! "  was  the 
earnest  reply. 

"  You  have  n't  told  me  about  your  trip  through 
Touraine." 

"  We  enjoyed  it  greatly,  and  were  glad  you 
urged  us  to  go,  were  n't  we,  Ned  ?  " 


146       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Yes,  except  during  the  cold  evenings  at  Tours." 

"  You  made  that  headquarters  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  we  would  take  the  train  every  morning 
and  visit  one  of  the  chateaux  and  come  back  every 
evening." 

"  It  was  beautiful,  bright,  frosty  weather,  with 
clear  sunshine,  and  always  a  moon  to  come  home 
by,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  ;  "  but  those  hotel  rooms 
were  cold  at  night,  —  no  mistake.  We  used  to  sit 
close  to  our  open  fire,  but  see  our  breath  just  the 
same." 

"  And  I  know  just  how  the  sheets  felt,"  re- 
marked Champion,  —  "  as  if  they  were  made  of 
celluloid  and  dipped  in  ice-water." 

"  Exactly,"  laughed  Edwina  ;  "  but  how  many 
Millet  pictures  we  saw  those  days  as  we  drove 
among  the  dewy  fields  where  the  peasant  women 
in  short  blue  skirts  were  knitting  and  tending  their 
cows  and  sheep !  The  valley  of  the  Loire  is  cer- 
tainly very  beautiful.  Before  going  to  Tours  we 
stopped  at  Blois  to  see  that  chateau.  Do  you  re- 
member, cousin  Eunice,  how  the  wide,  winding 
river  looked  that  night  as  we  stood  on  the  bridge 
with  the  sunset  turning  the  water  crimson  on  one 
side  and  the  nearly  full  moon  brightening  on  the 
other?" 

"  Indeed  I  do ;  and  those  tile  floors  at  our 
hotel !  " 

"  The  only  door  to  my  room  opened  upon  a 
court  with  the  clearest  starry  sky  for  a  roof." 

Miss   Pritchard   laughed.     "  We   clung  to  our 


REMINISCENCES  147 

hot- water  bags  those  nights,  and  did  n't  think  much 
about  steam-heated,  carpeted  houses." 

"  What  did  you  think  of  the  Blois  chateau  ?  " 

"  Oh,  of  course  we  thought  of  Catherine  de 
Medici  all  the  time,"  replied  Edwina.  "  It  was  a 
satisfaction  to  know  she  really  died  there." 

"  Dear  me !  "  said  Eunice,  shaking  her  head. 
"  I  've  wondered  so  often  since  we  've  been  over 
here,  how  people  could  have  been  so  wicked  in 
such  beautiful  places.  From  Hampton  Court  on, 
I  've  just  been  asking  myself  that  question,  and  in 
the  Chateau  country  more  than  ever." 

"You  drove  out  to  Chambord  before  you  left 
Blois  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  that  is  where  we  saw  so  many  Millet 
pictures  among  the  fields  and  the  farmhouses  and 
little  villages." 

"  You  saw  a  different  sort  of  French  people  from 
the  Parisians." 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  and  attractive  people  they  are. 
Even  the  little  boys  pulled  off  their  caps  to  us  as 
we  drove  by." 

"  Did  you  go  on  the  roof  at  Chambord  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Champion,  what  a  wilderness  of  spires 
and  sculpture  and  turrets  and  towers  that  roof  is ! " 
said  Eunice-  "  And  to  look  off  and  think  that  for 
twenty  square  miles  those  forests  and  avenues  and 
fields  are  all  the  grounds  belonging  to  that  solitary 
castle !  " 

"  Did  you  see  the  room  where  Moliere  used  to 
try  his  comedies  on  the  dog  ?  " 


148       MISS  PBITCHABD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  Did  they  say  anything  about  a  dog,  Ned  ? " 
asked  Eunice  simply.  "  Mind  you,  I  never  knew 
a  word  anybody  was  saying  from  the  time  we  left 
Paris  till  we  got  back  again.  Nobody  spoke  one 
word  of  English." 

"  But  cousin  Eunice  remembers  the  double  spi- 
ral staircase,"  said  Edwina,  smiling  at  the  water. 

"  Yes ;  did  n't  she  send  me  down  with  that  chat- 
tering guide  while  she  went  down  right  side  of  us, 
yet  out  of  sight !  I  tell  you  I  was  glad  to  meet 
her  again  on  terra  firma." 

"  Did  you  go  on  to  Amboise  next  ?  " 

"  No,  we  stopped  first  at  Onzain,"  replied  Ed- 
wina, "  and  took  a  carriage  to  the  chateau  of 
Chaumont." 

"Oh,  you  wanted  to  see  more  of  your  friend 
Catherine  de  Medici." 

"Yes,  there  in  her  bed-chamber  was  her  prie- 
dieu  —  fancy  her  having  a  prie-dieu  !  —  and  close 
by  was  a  fine  chapel.  We  were  shown  into  her 
astrologer's  room.  I  should  think  she  oftener 
worshiped  there." 

"  That  was  a  lovely  place,"  said  Miss  Pritchard 
pensively.  "  The  grounds  are  princely,  and  so 
high  above  the  river.  Such  vines  and  flowers  and 
trees  —  such  luxuriant  beauty  !  How  could  she 
have  held  one  bad  thought  there  ?  But  did  n't  we 
have  a  funny  lunch  in  —  in  the  village  when  we 
got  back,  Ned  ?  I  never  can  pronounce  any  of 
those  names." 

"  Yes,  where  the  chickens  had  to  be  driven  out 


REMINISCENCES  149 

from  under  the  table  across  the  stone  floor  of  the 
dining-room.  From  there  we  went  to  Amboise." 

"  Oh,  I  remember,"  said  Miss  Pritchard. 
"  That 's  the  one  the  poor  owner  can't  see  because 
he  is  exiled  from  France." 

"  And  the  one  where  Da  Vinci  died  and  is  bur- 
ied," suggested  Champion. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  a  bust  of  him  was  in  the  garden. 
Think  of  that  garden  up  in  the  air  where  it  is." 

"  Yes,"  said  Champion,  "  and  the  spiral  inclined 
plaiie  instead  of  a  staircase,  where  the  lords  and 
ladies  rode  up  to  wander  among  the  arbors  and 
flowers." 

Miss  Pritchard  sighed.  "  I  'd  rather  think  about 
that  than  about  those  mammoth  stone  terraces  with 
their  openings  for  guns,  and  all  those  trap-doors 
that  opened  to  drop  rocks  on  enemies'  heads." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  responded  Champion.  "  They  had 
all  the  modern  conveniences  at  Amboise.  I  believe 
that  was  where  Queen  Catherine  had  a  massacre 
of  a  thousand  odd  people  in  sight  of  the  court  — 
a  sort  of  dress  rehearsal  for  St.  Bartholomew's. 
Then  you  went  on  to  Tours  ?  "  he  asked,  looking 
at  Edwina. 

"  Yes.  We  stayed  at  Tours  and  went  out  from 
there  to  shiver  over  the  dungeons  at  Loches,  and 
marvel  and  rejoice  over  Langeais,  Azay-le-rideau, 
and,  best  of  all,  Chenonceaux." 

"  You  felt  familiar  with  porcupines  and  sala- 
manders and  ropes  before  you  finished?  " 

"  Yes,  and  knew  the  portraits  of  a  long  line  of 


150       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

French  royalty  as  well  as  we  did  our  own  family 
album." 

"  And  was  n't  it  wonderful  how  Edwina's  French 
carried  us  through  so  successfully  ?  "  asked  Miss 
Pritchard  with  nai've  pride. 

"  Certainly,"  said  Edwina  quickly.  "  I  was  n't 
obliged  to  tell  cousin  Eunice  when  I  wrote  '  muffs  ' 
instead  of  '  cuffs '  on  the  laundry  list,  nor  when  I 
asked  the  porter  to  set  the  dress-suit  case  on  the 
ceiling  instead  of  on  the  floor.  Come,  I  think  it 
is  time  for  the  first  class  in  Chateaux  to  be  dis- 
missed." 

"  Oh  —  before  you  've  talked  about  Che  — 
Che  —  where  Mary  Stuart  spent  her  honeymoon 
with  Francis  Second  !  " 

"  Dear  me  !  "  said  Edwina,  smiling.  "  I  knew 
Chenonceaux  was  wonderfully  romantic,  but  I 
did  n't  know  it  could  make  you  contemplate  a 
honeymoon  with  rapture.  Have  you  forgotten 
that  Francis  Second  was  a  man  ?  " 

"  But  he  died,"  explained  Eunice  simply. 

Edwina  laughed  at  this,  and  Champion  smiled 
questioningly. 

For  a  few  days  the  young  man  was  the  compan- 
ion of  our  travelers'  excursions,  and  then  they  were 
again  left  to  themselves  in  the  warm  golden  light 
or  the  cold,  cloudy  breath  of  the  Cannes  winter. 
Sunshine  predominated,  and  they  never  tired  of 
wandering  beside  the  tossing  water  with  its  curving 
shores  adorned  by  terrace  on  terrace,  rich  in  semi- 
tropical  foliage  and  gleaming  white  villas,  where 


REMINISCENCES  151 

the  air  was  sweet  with  orange  blossoms,  or  driving 
and  climbing  up  the  heights  when  all  the  land  was 
aglow  with  the  delicate  golden  glory  of  the  mimosa- 
trees.  They  stood  at  the  top  of  the  CaKfornie 
hill  and  looked  afar  on  the  surrounding  country : 
Grasse,  Mougins,  Nice,  Monte  Carlo,  Mentone, 
and  the  embracing  semicircle  of  snow  mountains 
and  terraced  hills.  They  visited  these  spots  also  ; 
saw  the  wilderness  of  violets  at  Grasse  which  were 
to  be  crushed  into  perfume  for  my  lady  in  many 
lands,  or  candied  to  tempt  her  palate.  They 
strolled  on  the  beach  at  Mentone,  listened  to  the 
wash  of  the  pebbles  under  the  sweeping  tide  at 
Nice,  and  luxuriated  in  the  beauty  of  Monte 
Carlo,  —  that  spot  where  perhaps  heaven  and  hell 
meet  more  nearly  than  in  any  other  on  earth. 
From  the  peacock  water  curling  its  dazzling  snowy 
foam  about  gray  cliffs,  to  the  exotic  gardens  on  its 
heights,  every  charm  that  nature  can  furnish  and 
man  direct  seems  lavished  with  utter  prodigality 
on  this  siren  of  the  southern  sea. 

The  Riviera  being  the  only  locality  on  the  Con- 
tinent not  visited  during  this  winter  by  a  daily 
cold  douche,  Eunice  and  Edwina  felt  themselves 
justified  in  continuing  their  lotus-eating  existence 
instead  of  attending  to  the  duties  of  sight-seeing, 
until  other  skies  should  cease  to  frown.  They  be- 
came quite  familiar  with  the  Remicks,  their  neigh- 
bors at  the  hotel  table,  and  the  Americans'  uniform 
enjoyment  of  life  continued  to  be  a  matter  of  some 
curiosity  to  the  invalided  man  and  his  sister. 


152      MISS  PEITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  You  'd  best  be  careful  of  the  mistral,"  Mr. 
Remick  curtly  assured  them  one  day  when  they 
had  come  in  from  a  visit  to  Golf  Juan. 

"  It  seems  to  me  people  have  too  much  fear  of 
the  mistral  wind,"  replied  Edwina.  "  What  is 
harmful  about  it  ?  " 

"  It 's  loaded  with  fine  particles  of  sand,  very  ir- 
ritating to  the  throat  and  lungs." 

"  But  yours  are  delicate,  Edward,"  remarked 
Miss  Remick. 

"  So  are  everybody's,"  returned  her  brother, 
with  the  sudden  fierceness  he  frequently  evinced 
toward  his  willing  slave.  "  Too  delicate  to  take 
in  pieces  of  rock  at  every  breath.  That 's  what  it 
amounts  to  —  rock." 

"  How  vexing !  "  said  Miss  Remick,  vaguely 
soothing.  "  Is  n't  it  ?  "  appealing  to  Eunice. 
"  Cannes  would  really  be  very  nice  without  the 
mistral,  would  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  we  Americans  are  more  used  to  wind," 
replied  Eunice.  "  I  noticed  in  England  how  little 
there  was.  It  made  the  landscape  fine  to  have 
everything  so  still  and  clear." 

"  It 's  beastly  in  England  now,"  announced  Mr. 
Remick.  He  seldom  while  speaking  regarded  his 
interlocutor,  but  oracularly  addressed  empty  space. 

"  So  vexing  that  one  can't  stay  at  home,  is  n't 
it  ?  "  purred  his  sister. 

Edwina  smiled  brightly  at  her.  "  I  should  think 
you  would  welcome  a  good  excuse  for  coming  to 
Cannes." 


EEM1NISCENCES  153 

"  But  we  've  bean  coining  for  several  winters, 
you  know,"  apologetically,  "  and  it  gets  tiresome, 
does  n't  it?" 

"  You  can  go  home  to-morrow  if  you  like," 
growled  the  invalid. 

"  I  only  meant  tiresome  for  you,  Edward.  I  like 
Cannes  myself,  don't  you  know." 

"  Well,  so  do  I,"  shortly. 

Eunice  and  Edwina  were  too  accustomed  now  to 
these  and  similar  amenities  to  be  much  disturbed. 
They  had  found  that  the  ungracious  speeches  of 
her  brother  were  as  much  a  familiar  part  of  Miss 
Remick's  existence  as  her  tightly  curled  fringe, 
her  heavy  gold  bracelets,  enormous  brooches,  and 
short  skirts. 

Edwina  hastily  raised  her  glass  to  her  lips.  She 
just  now  happened  to  notice  for  the  first  time  the 
strange  fitness  of  the  cork  in  Mr.  Remick's  wine 
bottle.  It  was  a  bear  rampant.  He  had  said  he 
liked  Cannes.  She  recalled  his  figure  as  she  often 
caught  sight  of  it  at  a  distance  on  the  Croisette, 
seated  on  one  of  the  palm-shaded  benches  under  a 
white  umbrella,  his  haggard  eyes  looking  out  over 
the  rollicking  waves  breaking  whitely  on  the  islands 
of  St.  Honorat  and  St.  Marguerite. 

They  four  had  taken  the  boat  together  one  day 
for  St.  Honorat.  The  island  is  a  gem,  and  the 
wide  view  over  the  water  of  snow  mountains  against 
deep  blue,  then  the  nearer  hills  with  old  picture- 
towns  nestling  against  their  green  sides,  is  wonder- 
ful in  its  variety.  There  is  a  long  thick  avenue  of 


154      MISS  PEITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

cypresses  on  the  island  leading  to  the  monastery 
where  brown-gowned  monks  sell  one  their  delicious 
cordial,  and  a  forest  of  pine-trees  growing  with 
no  underbrush  from  the  clean  sweet  grass  gives 
enchanting  glimpses  of  the  sea ;  but  all  these  vistas 
had  not  moved  Mr.  Remick's  stolidity  by  their 
enchantment,  nor  had  the  dangerously  rough  trip 
home  been  more  effective.  The  waves  plunged 
over  the  deck  of  their  little  steamer,  which  dove 
and  clambered  among  the  watery  hills  with  such 
abandon  that  the  passengers  could  scarcely  keep 
their  seats ;  but  Mr.  Remick  only  scowled  at  the 
running  decks  and  gathered  his  feet  into  a  dry 
spot,  while  his  stout  sister  clung  to  the  cabin  in 
throes  of  illness,  and  when  she  could  speak,  gave 
it  as  her  opinion  that  the  Mediterranean  was 
"  really  tiresome." 

There  had  been  during  December  a  succession 
of  dark  days,  when  it  often  rained,  and  the  rest  of 
the  time  sulked.  Cannes  without  the  sunshine  is 
scarcely  better  than  less  favored  localities,  and  Mr. 
Remick,  shivering  in  the  damp  cold  that  did  not 
discourage  the  roses,  waxed  bitterly  sarcastic  when 
a  sunless  fortnight  had  passed. 

"  It 's  going  on  like  this  all  winter,  I  dare  say," 
he  declared  one  night  at  dinner,  looking  over  Ed- 
wina's  head.  "  But  this  is  not  real  Cannes  weather, 
you  understand,  I  hope  ?  Even  though  it 's  like  this 
three  seasons  out  of  four,  they  '11  tell  you  here  that 
they  can't  understand  it  at  all,  —  that  real  Cannes 
weather  is  superb,  don't  you  know.  When  there 


REMINISCENCES  155 

comes  a  fine  day  they  '11  all  triumph  and  cry  out 
that  this  is  real  Cannes  weather.  You  don't  see  it 
very  often,  but  when  you  do  that 's  the  kind  it  is. 
It 's  well  to  bear  it  in  mind.  Can  you  play  the 
piano  ?  " 

The  addition  being  made  in  the  same  harsh  tone 
that  voiced  his  comments  on  the  climate,  Edwina 
hesitated  a  moment  before  admitting  that  she 
could. 

"  You  'd  better  come  then  and  play  on  mine." 

"Yes,  yes,"  added  Miss  Kemick  appealingly. 
"  It  will  make  us  forget  how  nasty  it  is  outside, 
won't  it?" 

Miss  Pritchard  after  dinner  told  Edwina  that  she 
would  write  a  letter  while  the  music  was  going  on. 

"  You  will  let  me  venture  alone  into  Brer  B'ar's 
den  ?  "  exclaimed  the  girl. 

"  Oh,  I  think  it  will  be  safe,  as  our  room  is 
so  near.  I  will  leave  the  door  open  so  I  can  hear 
any  shrieks  for  help.  I  think  you  must  have  made 
an  impression  on  Brer  B'ar." 

"  1  don't  much  mind  his  growls  now,  but  his 
French  will  make  me  disgrace  myself  yet."  When 
he  called  Frangois  this  morning  and  told  him  Miss 
Remick  would  take  her  breakfast  upstairs  I  was 
in  almost  as  much  misery  as  the  poor  waiter ! 
Montez  Madame  cafe  deez  mineet  n'est  pas  toud 
suite.  Demane  chocolate.'  Why  he  wanted  to 
explain  to  the  poor  fellow  what  she  would  take 
to-morrow,  I  don't  know  ;  and  did  you  hear  him 
to-night  ask  for  '  unn  demmy  bootle  de  vong'?" 


156       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  I  'm  glad  I  don't  know  the  difference,"  returned 
Eunice,  smiling  in  sympathy  with  the  girl's  laugh- 
ter. "  You  have  n't  told  me  what  the  joke  was  to- 
day when  I  spoke  about  the  crematory  and  you 
touched  my  foot." 

"  Oh,  did  n't  you  understand  ?  He  thought  you 
were  talking  about  a  dairy,  and  he  broke  in  and 
said  there  was  one  right  around  the  corner,  and 
that  they  called  them  '  lattery '  in  France.  And 
Miss  Remick  is  just  as  bad.  Did  you  hear  her 
*  Mairsy  infinimong '  ?  She  always  says  '  Mairsy,' 
and  he  says  '  Marsy.'  She  consoled  me  the  other 
day  when  I  was  regretting  that  we  must  travel  in 
Italy  without  any  knowledge  of  the  language.  She 
said  she  never  had  any  trouble  at  the  stations. 
She  just  turned  up  the  tail  of  a  French  word,  and 
they  understood  her  perfectly.  My!  That  gave 
me  a  reverence  for  the  Italian  intellect !  " 

"  Go  along,  Ned.  I  'm  sure  those  people  are 
waiting  for  you." 

They  were,  and  Edwina  had  a  surprise  in  dis- 
covering that  music  developed  the  nearest  approach 
to  pleasure  that  she  had  ever  seen  in  Mr.  Remick's 
tired  countenance. 

Miss  Pritchard,  busy  with  a  letter  to  her  lawyer, 
heard  the  lively  strains  and  the  murmur  of  voices 
alternately ;  and  before  long  was  conscious  of  a 
knock  at  the  Remicks'  door  as  the  servant  carried 
in  the  coffee  tray.  Five  minutes  later  out  of  the 
stillness  she  heard  the  old  gentleman's  voice  raised 
in  a  stentorian  accent  of  ferocity  :  — 


REMINISCENCES  157 

"  She  likes  it  weak  !  " 

Eunice  laughed  quietly.  Her  suspicions  were 
verified  shortly  by  the  entrance  of  Edwina,  red- 
faced  from  suppressed  mirth,  bearing  a  cup  of 
coffee.  As  soon  as  the  girl  was  able  she  spoke 
with  cheerful  loudness. 

"  Miss  Remick  is  afraid  this  is  n't  strong  enough 
for  you,  but  Mr.  Remick  has  fixed  it  the  way  he 
thinks  you  like  it.  They  would  be  glad  to  have 
you  join  us."  Then  she  fell  into  pantomime  which 
caused  Eunice  to  choke  over  her  coffee  and  frown 
and  shake  her  head.  They  shortly  repaired  to- 
gether to  the  next  room,  where  Mr.  Remick  was 
just  setting  down  his  cup. 

"  We  're  going  to  sing  '  God  save  the  Queen,' ' 
he  announced. 

"  Dear  me  !  "  said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  I  'm  afraid 
I  shan't  be  much  help.  I  don't  know  the  words." 

"  Ow !  I  '11  give  them  out  verse  by  verse,"  he 
replied,  and  suited  the  action  to  the  word;  his 
rasping  voice  rising  with  peculiar  relish  at 

"  Confound  their  politics  ! 
Frustrate  their  knavish  tricks  !  " 

They  sang,  all  four,  to  the  best  of  their  ability, 
and  Edwina  filled  in  discrepancies  with  a  full  and 
harmonious  accompaniment. 

"  We  thank  you,  Miss  Wilder,"  said  the  host 
when  at  last  the  guests  rose  to  go. 

"  Edward  is  so  musical,"  murmured  his  sister. 

"  Humph !  "  grunted  her  brother  in  a  tone  that 
warned  her. 


158       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Did  you  try  the  Petty  Parry  for  your  errands  ?  " 
asked  Miss  Remick  hastily. 

"Yes.  We  were  much  obliged  to  you  for  re- 
commending it." 

"  It 's  not  so  dear  as  most  of  the  shops,  is  it  ? 
—  quite  different  to  those  in  the  Rue  d'Antibes, 
really." 

"  We  liked  it  very  well ;  but  poor  cousin  Eu- 
nice has  n't  much  opinion  of  shopping  in  France. 
When  she  found  that  even  at  such  a  little  shop  as 
the  Petit  Paris  she  could  n't  get  a  paper  of  pins 
or  a  spool  of  thread,  she  was  disgusted.  She  has 
found  out  at  last  that  only  at  a  Mercerie  can  she 
get  those  notions  ;  so  now  when  she  wants  hooks 
and  eyes  or  anything  of  the  sort  she  asks  me  with 
scorn  :  '  Is  there  ^Misery  anywhere  around  here  ? ' ' 

"  I  should  think  they  were  miseries,"  said  Eu- 
nice. "  In  one  where  we  were  yesterday  they  asked 
Edwina  if  we  wanted  one  row  of  pins  or  two  !  They 
never  thought  of  our  taking  the  whole  paper." 

"  Fancy  !  "  said  Miss  Remick. 

"  And  then  cousin  Eunice  can't  remember  the 
difference  between  a  metre  and  a  litre,  and  she  is 
always  asking  me  to  buy  her  a  litre  of  ribbon  or 
elastic." 

"  Only  fancy  !  "  said  Miss  Remick. 

"  That  time  in  Paris,  do  you  remember,  cousin 
Eunice,  when  you  went  out  alone  to  buy  a  cake  of 
soap  ?  "  Edwina  turned  to  Miss  Remick.  "  I 
taught  her  to  say  savon  llanc,  and  she  succeeded 
in  buying  the  soap  ;  but  when  she  came  home  she 


REMINISCENCES  159 

said  she  had  seen  the  stupidest  man  in  Paris ;  that 
the  soap  she  wanted  was  marked  sixty  centimes, 
and  that  she  had  said  sixty  to  the  man,  and  he 
only  looked  perfectly  blank.  I  explained  that  he 
did  n't  understand  '  sixty,'  but  she  could  n't  see 
the  trouble  at  all,  for  she  kept  on  explaining  that 
there  were  the  figures  6  0,  just  the  same  as  they 
would  have  been  at  home,  and  why  should  that 
clerk  not  have  understood  when  she  said  '  sixty  '  ?  " 

From  the  expression  of  Miss  Remick's  face  it 
was  evident  that  the  situation  was  one  she  would 
have  to  reflect  upon,  but  she  responded  gravely : 
41  Fancy  ! " 

Mr.  Remick  said  that  it  certainly  must  be  a 
great  inconvenience  not  to  speak  French,  and  Eu- 
nice admitted  that  it  was. 

"  I  shall  learn  it  before  I  take  my  next  wedding 
trip,"  she  added  demurely. 

"  Eh  ?     Really !  "  said  Mr.  Remick. 

After  his  guests  had  said  good-night  and  de- 
parted he  addressed  his  sister. 

"  My  word !  That  was  an  extraordinary  speech 
of  Miss  Pritchard's,  eh  ?  I  never  thought  she  was 
touched.  Eh  ?  " 

"  Not  more  than  all  Americans,  Edward.  I 
don't  mind  asking  her  what  she  meant,  if  you 
like." 

"  Ow  !  it  does  n't  matter." 

A  few  days  after  this  Miss  Remick  requested 
Eunice  and  Edwina  to  write  a  couple  of  sentiments 
in  her  autograph  album.  The  weather,  after  a 


160       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

brief  relaxing  into  gracious  golden  summer,  had 
again  relapsed  into  a  last  fit  of  the  sulks,  its  clouds 
being  reflected  in  each  line  of  Mr.  Remick's  face  ; 
and  with  the  attempt  to  flatter  his  humor,  Edwina 
wrote  amid  the  flowery  and  chaste  quotations  of 
Miss  Remick's  other  friends,  the  following  lines  : 

When  sullen  clouds  for  weeks  on  end 

O'erhang  the  Cote  d'Azur, 
'T  is  then  the  old  inhabitant 

Makes  haste  to  reassure, 
Though  beating  rain  depress  your  soul, 

And  mistral  chill  your  spine, 
Just  keep  firm  hold  upon  one  fact  — 

The  real  Cannes  weather 's  fine  ! 

What  though  a  keen  and  nipping  wind 

Makes  noses  rosy  bright, 
And  fingers  tingle  in  an  air 

The  sun  's  forgotten  quite  ? 
Just  stamp  your  feet  and  swing  your  arms, 

Be  patient,  don't  repine, 
You  '11  get  a  sample  some  spring  day, 

And  real  Cannes  weather  's  fine  ! 

This  effusion  attained  a  success  beyond  its  au- 
thor's wildest  expectations.  Mr.  Remick,  when 
next  he  greeted  Edwiiia,  regarded  her  eye  to  eye, 
and  a  sardonic  smile  widened  his  thin  lips. 

"  You  '11  get  a  sahmple  some  spring  day,"  he 
quoted.  "Ha!  My  word  !  That 's  about  it." 

"  Dear  me,"  said  Eunice  later,  "  you  will  be 
leading  Brer  B'ar  with  a  blue  ribbon  yet." 

"  Don't  be  too  sure  of  that.  Yesterday  he 
snubbed  me  well.  I  asked  him  if  they  spoke  French 
in  Ventimiglia.  '  Why  should  they  ? '  he  demanded 


REMINISCENCES  161 

in  his  usual  urbane  accents.  I  meekly  answered 
that  being  just  over  the  line,  I  had  had  hopes  of  it 
—  it  would  make  passing  through  the  customs  so 
much  easier.  '  Humph ! '  he  growled.  *  You  might 
as  well  expect  them  to  speak  Italian  in  Mentone 
for  the  same  reason.'  One  thing  is  certain,  cousin 
Eunice,  you  have  met  one  man  who  is  not  a  whited 
sepulchre.  I  suppose  they  are  all  like  this  in- 
side?" 

"  They  vary,"  returned  Eunice. 

"  You  '11  tell  me  when  we  meet  one  who  has  re- 
deeming features,  won't  you  ?  Since  I  notice  that 
each  time  one  of  Mr.  Glenn's  letters  comes,  you 
behave  as  if  he  were  a  ravening  wolf  threatening 
your  ewe-lamb,  I  despair  of  pleasing  you." 

Miss  Pritchard's  quick  eyes  searched  the  girl's 
baffling  ones.  "  You  can't  believe  one  of  them, 
Ned.  You  cannot,  dear,"  she  said  earnestly. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  answered  Edwina,  laughing.  "  You 
forget  Mr.  Eemick.  He  never  deceives  anybody." 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE    CARNIVAL 

EUNICE  was  greatly  pleased  with  the  Battle  of 
Flowers  which  took  place  early  in  February  on  the 
Croisette.  The  carriages  vied  with  each  other  in 
floral  decorations.  Every  wheel  was  a  wreath  of 
dainty  blossoms ;  ferns  and  flowers  enameled  the 
harness  of  the  high-stepping  horses  and  embowered 
the  occupants  of  the  vehicles  who  in  gala  array 
pelted  with  roses,  violets,  and  chrysanthemums 
those  who  passed  them  in  the  gay  procession  or  on 
the  promenades.  A  beautifully  blue  sea  murmured 
on  the  sands,  the  Esterels  seemed  to  come  nearer 
in  their  freedom  from  haze,  the  lively  strains  of  a 
band  added  gayety  to  the  scene. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  been  looking  at  the  pretty 
sight  to-day,  Miss  Remick,"  said  Eunice  that  even- 
ing when  the  four  were  at  dinner. 

The  English  lady's  eyebrows  were  raised  in  a 
gentle  suggestion  of  injury.  "  We  'd  not  a  very 
good  place  to  see,"  she  replied.  "Me  brother's 
not  very  keen  for  diversion,  are  you,  Edward  ?  " 

Mr.  Remick  uttered  a  low,  inarticulate  growl. 
"  Depends  on  what  you  call  diversion.  Men  and 
women  throwing  flowers  at  each  other's  heads,  and 


THE  CAENIVAL  168 

horses  trampling  them  in  the  dirt,  does  n't  appeal 
to  me  particularly." 

"  Ah,  but  the  horses  did  n't  have  a  chance  very 
often.  They  did  n't  touch  this,"  and  Edwina  in- 
dicated a  large  bunch  of  violets  on  her  breast. 

"  Was  that  thrown  you  ?  "  asked  Miss  Remick 
enviously. 

"  Yes.  An  officer  in  one  of  the  carriages  took 
off  his  hat  with  a  flourish  and  sent  this  spinning 
at  me." 

"  Humph  !  Beastly  impertinent  of  him,"  com- 
mented Mr.  Remick,  "  and  I  dare  say  you  liked 
it." 

"  Indeed  I  did,"  laughed  Edwina.  "  I  had  begun 
to  long  for  some  of  the  pretty  things  flying  through 
the  air." 

"  You  've  one  too,"  said  Miss  Remick,  sombrely 
regarding  a  big  chrysanthemum  gleaming  like  pre- 
served sunshine  in  the  front  of  Miss  Pritchard's 
black  gown. 

"  Yes.     This  is  Edwina's  bounty." 

"  Booty,  you  mean.  Cousin  Eunice  would  n't 
jump  up  for  them,  so  when  they  came  aimed  at  us, 
of  course  I  caught  them  all.  I  have  more  upstairs, 
Miss  Remick,  if  you  will  accept  them." 

"  It 's  too  bad,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  afterward. 
*'  Nothing  ever  turns  out  right  for  that  poor  wo- 
man. I  suppose  we  ought  to  take  her  around  with 
us  sometimes." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  agreed  Edwina.  "  Just  think 
what  it  would  bo  to  have  Brer  B'ar  for  one's  sole 


164       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

companion,  —  and  then  to  be  so  stout  as  to  be  un- 
comfortable !  I  noticed  Miss  Remick  never  went 
out  if  it  rained,  and  I  asked  her  yesterday  why  it 
was,  and  she  said  that  she  could  n't  abide  goloshes 
and  that  after  she  got  her  stays  on  she  could  n't 
change  her  shoes  ;  so  she  must  n't  risk  wetting  her 
feet." 

"  We  ought  not  to  laugh,"  said  Eunice  con- 
tritely. 

"  Why  not  ?  I'm  sure  they  laugh  at  us,  and 
they  're  quite  welcome.  We  '11  take  her  shopping 
with  us  to  the  '  Petty  Parry '  if  she  feels  poor,  or 
to  the  sweller  shops  when  she  feels  rich.  We  '11 
be  good  to  her." 

There  came  an  opportunity  to  test  their  charity 
a  few  weeks  later  when  King  Carnival's  reign  be- 
gan. Indeed,  poor  Miss  Remick  threw  out  a  hint. 

"  Are  you  going  to  buy  seats  in  the  Tribune  to 
see  the  Carnival  ?  "  she  asked.  "  I  'm  always  very 
keen  to  see  it,  but  me  brother  does  n't  care.  It 's 
a  pity,  is  n't  it  ?  There 's  so  little  to  do  in  Cannes." 

Edwina  sighed  involuntarily  over  this  difference 
in  point  of  view.  Only  yesterday  as  she  and  Miss 
Pritchard  had  been  sauntering  through  a  grove  of 
pines  where  the  black-caps  were  pouring  forth  their 
heartfelt  liquid  melody,  she  had  been  speaking  of 
the  embarrassment  of  riches  held  out  by  this  strip 
of  flower-strewn  country.  However,  what  would 
it  be  without  congenial  companionship  ?  She  in- 
stantly repented  of  her  momentary  impatience  as 
Mr.  Remick  turned  upon  his  sister. 


THE   CARNIVAL  165 

"  If  you  're  dull,  why  don't  you  go  to  the  ceme- 
tery ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  The  cemetery !  The  cemetery 's  quite  different 
to  the  Carnival,  is  n't  it,  Edward?  " 

"  It 's  by  far  the  prettiest  place  in  Cannes,  with 
one  of  the  best  views  on  the  Riviera.  Why  don't 
you  go  there  ?  " 

"  I  've  bean  once  this  season,  Edward." 

"  Humph !  I  've  bean  a  dozen  times,  I  dare 
say." 

"  But  it 's  all  the  way  uphill,  and  you  're  not  so 
stout  as  I  am,  are  you  ?  " 

"  My  word  !  You  would  n't  be  so  stout  if  you  'd 
go  there  oftener." 

"  But  the  cemetery  does  n't  cheer  me  as  it  does 
you,  Edward.  It  makes  me  quite  low  ;  and  then 
I  'm  always  quite  blown  by  the  time  I  get  there. 
Even  you,"  pacifically,  "  must  admit  that  the  Car- 
nival would  seem  more  lively  to  most  people." 

Mr.  Remick  happened  to  catch  Edwina's  eye, 
and  she  thought  he  almost  smiled. 

"  At  any  rate,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  hastily,  "  I 
hope  you  will  go  with  us  to  the  Carnival,  Miss 
Remick." 

"  Get  seats  in  the  Tribune  up  by  the  Alices,"  dic- 
tated Mr.  Remick  unexpectedly.  "  That  is  near 
the  spot  where  the  prizes  are  awarded,  and  most  of 
the  torn-foolery  goes  on." 

"  Very  well,  we  will.  Edwina  shall  get  us  three 
tickets  to-morrow." 

"You'd  better  let  me  get  them,"  said  Mr.  Rem- 


166       MISS  PRITCHARWS    WEDDING   TRIP 

ick.  "  You  'd  probably  get  the  back  row  instead 
of  the  front  one,  or  make  some  other  blunder.  It 
takes  a  person  familiar  with  the  language  to  get 
along  with  these  fellows." 

Miss  Remick's  broad  face  was  wreathed  in 
smiles.  "  How  thoughtful  of  you,  dear  Edward  !  " 
she  ejaculated.  "  I  do  hope  the  day  will  be  fine." 

She  was  still  full  of  anticipation  when  the  morn- 
ing of  Mardi  Gras  arrived,  and  on  the  way  to  their 
reserved  chairs  in  the  covered  stand  she  showed 
her  two  companions  where  to  buy  the  bags  of  con- 
fetti with  which  each  member  of  the  restless,  gay 
crowd  of  spectators  was  armed. 

"  Ah,  but  these  seats  are  fine !  "  ejaculated  Miss 
Remick  with  satisfaction,  when  they  had  found 
their  places.  "  Nothing  will  escape  us  here." 

"  And  we  shall  escape  nothing,"  laughed  Ed- 
wina,  as  a  bunch  of  paper  confetti  stung  her  fore- 
head, and  she  shook  the  tiny  colored  disks  from 
her  hair.  "  We  're  shining  marks  here  in  these 
front  seats." 

"  Keep  it  ready  in  your  hand,  me  dear,  and  let 
them  have  it  again.  Ah,"  with  a  sigh,  "  what  a 
pity  me  brother  cares  nothing  for  such  gay  scenes, 
is  n't  it  ?  He  can't  abide  a  crowd,  and  I  dare  say 
while  we  're  so  lively  he  is  walking  out  to  Le 
Cannet  or  up  to  the  cemetery.  I  should  have  bean 
quite  dull  here  by  meself,  I  'm  sure." 

"  We  're  very  glad  to  have  you  with  us,"  said 
Miss  Pritchard.  "  How  the  crowd  is  thicken- 
ing!" 


THE  CARNIVAL  167 

"  It  '11  not  be  long  now,"  said  Miss  Remick,  with 
relish.  "  The  procession  went  along  the  Croisette 
on  Sunday,  I  hear,  and  there  was  great  gayety. 
The  French  are  not  a  God-fearing  people.  I  see 
him,  I  see  him,  —  't  is  King  Carnival !  "  Her 
voice  was  lost  in  the  cheers  that  rang  along  the 
serried  ranks  on  the  roadside  as  the  huge  monarch 
of  the  day  came  in  sight,  gorgeous  in  green  velvet 
and  gold,  and  mounted  on  a  colossal  snail.  His 
crowned  head  was  level  with  the  tops  of  the  palms, 
and  nodded  smilingly  upon  his  subjects,  while  his 
hand  frequently  rose  and  fell  in  recognition  and 
blessing. 

While  the  eyes  of  the  trio  were  fixed  upon  him, 
and  eagerly  looking  back  at  his  grotesque  follow- 
ing, a  tall  thin  figure  with  broad-rimmed  hat 
stepped  into  the  vacant  seat  beside  Edwina.  Great 
was  her  surprise  when  she  turned,  to  observe  Mr. 
Remick  standing  beside  her,  regarding  the  motley 
show  with  dull  eyes. 

"  I  thought  you  would  n't  know  enough  to  get 
any  serpentines,"  he  remarked  in  reply  to  the  girl's 
exclamation,  and  he  took  from  a  paper  bag  a  nun; 
ber  of  what  looked  like  bolts  of  narrow  ribbon. 
"  You  don't  know  how  to  use  them,  I  dare  say." 

"  I  have  n't  an  idea,"  replied  Edwina. 

A  float  was  just  passing  labeled  "  Le  Monde" 
and  containing  a  native  of  every  clime.  Mr.  Rem- 
ick deftly  seized  the  end  of  one  of  the  paper  rolls, 
and  with  a  throw  and  a  jerk  made  it  describe  a 
long,  graceful  arc  and  land  on  the  shoulder  of  an 


168       MISS  PEITCHARWS   WEDDING   TEIP 

American  Indian,  who  flourished  his  tomahawk 
and  skipped  with  volatile  gayety. 

"  How  pretty !  "  said  the  girl  appreciatively. 
"  Do  teach  me  how." 

"  Edward  —  why,  Edward  !  "  ejaculated  Miss 
Remick  with  ponderous  surprise,  winking  her  eyes 
as  if  to  dispel  a  vision.  "  You  're  never  here  at 
the  Carnival,  Edward  !  " 

"  Why  should  n't  I  be  ?  It 's  a  free  country,  I 
dare  say." 

"  I  'm  so  glad  —  but  oh,  when  somebody  comes 
and  claims  that  seat,  it  will  be  so  tiresome,  won't 
it  ?  Can't  you  buy  them  off,  Edward  ?  It  would 
be  a  pity  when  we  're  all  so  comfortable,  would  n't 
it,  —  and  one  person  alone  —  bless  me  !  "  Miss 
Remick's  speech  was  suddenly  muffled,  and  she 
jumped  and  began  spitting  out  confetti.  "  I  wish 
I  'd  seen  that  wretch,"  she  continued  when  she 
could  speak,  plunging  her  hand  in  her  bag  and 
preparing  to  revenge  the  next  assault. 

"  See  the  paper  dolls,"  cried  Miss  Pritchard,  as 
an  overgrown  company  marked  "  Les  enfants  du 
carnival  "  skipped  into  view. 

Next  appeared  a  pretty  group  of  harlequins  and 
columbines  dancing  along  to  their  own  music.  A 
bicycle  ridden  upside  down  by  a  man  whose  hair 
trailed  in  the  dust,  peripatetic  stoves,  sausages  and 
vegetables,  many  species  of  animals,  and  an  innu- 
merable variety  of  masks  and  dominoes  enlivened 
the  procession  of  floats,  while  a  gigantic  headless 
figure,  lantern  in  hand,  trudged  along  turning 


THE  CARNIVAL  169 

from  side  to  side  and  bearing  the  placard,  "A  la 
cherche  de  ma  tete"  while  the  enormous  head  he 
sought  hung  bobbing  on  his  back. 

"  What  fools  these  mortals  be  !  "  said  Mr.  Rem- 
ick ;  but  he  kept  Edwina  supplied  with  serpentines, 
and  leaned  over  the  rail  to  buy  more  confetti  when 
hers  was  gone.  She  tried  to  make  him  throw  some  ; 
but  this  he  declined  to  do,  brushing  the  stuff  from 
his  beard  and  coat  collar  when  attacked,  his  ex- 
pression of  cold  endurance  unchanged. 

The  procession  passed  four  times,  and  wilder 
and  wilder  grew  the  mirth.  The  pretty  disks  filled 
the  sunlit  air  like  spray  from  a  fountain  in  the 
brisk  pelting,  and  Edwina's  hat  and  shoulders 
looked  as  if  she  had  been  caught  in  a  rainbow 
storm.  Her  cheeks  were  red  from  her  vigorous 
exertions,  as  she  smiled  up  at  Mr.  Remick,  when 
the  last  marcher  had  passed  and  the  crowd  of 
spectators  began  to  flow  through  the  streets. 

"  Would  you  believe  anything  so  silly  could  be 
so  much  fun  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Ow  —  it 's  fun,  is  it  ?  "  he  said  grimly.  "  It 's 
silly  enough." 

"  Great  fun,  and  I  'm  so  glad  you  decided  to 
come  and  bring  the  serpentines.  Did  you  see  how 
well  I  could  aim  at  last  ?  " 

"  My  word  !     You  did." 

Miss  Remick  was  brushing  herself.  "  I  can't 
think,  Edward,  how  it  is  that  nobody  claimed  that 
seat,"  she  said,  as  they  started  homeward.  "  Really 
most  extraordinary,  was  n't  it,  Miss  Pritchard  ? 


170       MISS  PRITCHARVS   WEDDING  TRIP 

Such  a  crowd,  and  every  other  seat  taken,  and  just 
happening  to  be  next  ours.  It  was  most  fortu- 
nate, I  must  say." 

Eunice  admitted  that  the  fact  was  extraordinary, 
and  Mr.  Remick's  wooden  countenance  moved  not 
a  muscle. 

"  If  only  dear  Edward  would  come  with  us  this 
evening,"  whispered  Miss  Remick,  as  she  and 
Eunice  followed  the  others.  "  It  is  most  amusing 
here  in  the  Alices.  They  hang  the  trees  with 
Japanese  lanterns  and  have  music  and  dancing, 
and  the  maskers  talk  to  one,  and  they  have  fine 
fireworks,  and  end  up  with  the  burning  of  King 
Carnival.  Oh,  't  is  a  great  bonfire  he  makes.  It 
quite  gives  one  a  turn  to  see  him,  smiling  through 
the  flames  with  his  hand  upraised.  When  it  drops 
and  his  head  droops,  it  makes  your  flesh  creep,  — 
it  does,  indeed.  Ah,  I  wish  me  brother  would 
bring  us.  It 's  so  fine  and  warm,  I  'm  certain  it 
would  n't  hurt  his  tubes." 

"  You  might  get  Edwina  to  ask  him,"  suggested 
Eunice.  "  He  seems  to  take  a  kind  interest  in 
amusing  her." 

Miss  Remick  received  this  suggestion  eagerly, 
and  drawing  Edwina  aside  before  dinner,  with 
many  a  wink  and  caution,  she  proposed  her  plan. 
The  girl  nodded. 

"  I  want  very  much  to  go  to-night,"  she  an- 
swered. 

"  Me  brother  's  sure  to  refuse,  if  I  ask  him." 

"Well,  we'll  see,"  said  Edwina  vaguely. 


THE  CARNIVAL  171 

At  dinner,  then,  after  waiting,  with  a  wisdom 
beyond  her  years,  until  a  couple  of  courses  had 
replenished  Mr.  Remick's  inner  man,  she  spoke. 

"  How  would  you  like  to  go  to  the  Alices  to- 
night to  see  the  dancing,  cousin  Eunice  ?  " 

"  Excuse  me,  dear,  if  you  can.  I  did  n't  know 
how  tired  I  was.  I  'm  dizzy  with  monsters  and 
the  French  language  and  dodging  confetti." 

"  Very  well.  Miss  Remick  would  like  to  go. 
She  said  so.  Mr.  Remick,"  deferentially,  "  it 
would  be  quite  proper  for  your  sister  to  chaperone 
me,  would  n't  it  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  you  'd  had  enough  Carnival  for 
one  day." 

"  I  have  n't,  and  the  sun  will  be  safely  set,  so 
the  air  will  be  nice  and  dry,  and  it  is  so  near,  we 
can  easily  run  home  any  minute  we  want  to." 

"Humph!" 

"  May  we  ?  "  pursued  Edwina,  turning  the  full 
attraction  of  her  eyes  and  smile  on  the  haggard 
parchment  face. 

"  I  suppose  no  one  can  prevent  you." 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed.  You  can.  Only  I  'm  so 
curious  about  it." 

"  Of  course  you  are.  You  're  nothing  but  Eves, 
all  of  you.  Forever  curious  about  something." 

"  That  is  what  makes  us  so  interesting.  We 
have  something  to  talk  about,  you  see." 

"Talk  about?  Eh?  My  word!  I  should 
think  so !  That 's  why  I  'd  never  tie  myself  by 
the  leg  to  a  woman." 


172       MISS  PBITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TBIP 

Meanwhile  the  woman  who  was  tied  to  him 
looked  anxiously  from  Edwina  to  her  brother. 
The  girl  was  not  in  the  least  carrying  out  instruc- 
tions. Miss  Remick's  face  grew  blank  when  her 
sister-conspirator  nodded  at  her  brightly. 

"  He  '11  let  us  go,  you  see." 

"  I  don't  know  that  we  can  go  quite  alone,  can 
we  ?  "  she  said  dejectedly. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Remick  knows  best  about  that.  Dear 
me,  how  tired  I  am  of  veal !  Yes,  I  know  it  is 
very  good ;  but  I  never  can  look  a  calf  in  the  face 
again  —  we  've  eaten  such  droves  of  them  in  the 
past  six  months." 

"  Old  joke,  Ned,"  said  Miss  Pritchard. 

"Yes,  antique;  but  old  jokes  are  better  than 
none  under  some  circumstances.  Talk,  cousin 
Eunice.  Keep  up  the  reputation  Mr.  Remick 
gives  our  sex." 

Between  them  they  monopolized  the  conversa- 
tion until  dinner  was  over.  Miss  Remick  contin- 
ued to  look  doubtful  and  glum.  She  had  an  idea 
that  the  evening  company  would  be  roistering,  and 
she  was  just  about  to  thwart  Edwina's  well-laid 
plans  by  timidly  urging  her  brother,  when  he  ad- 
dressed the  girl  in  his  usual  disapproving  manner. 

"  What  time  do  you  wish  to  set  off  on  this  wild- 
goose  chase  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  in  half  an  hour  at  latest,"  she 
replied  sweetly.  "  Now,  don't  feel  one  bit  obliged 
to  come.  We  '11  promise  not  to  dance  with  any- 
body !  " 


THE  CAEN IV AL  173 

"  I  shall  go  if  you  're  determined  on  the  foolish- 
ness !  " 

"  Dear  Edward,  how  kind  of  you,  I  'm  sure  !  " 
ejaculated  his  sister. 

It  was  a  balmy  February  evening,  and  no  breeze 
swayed  the  gay  lanterns  above  their  heads  as  the 
three,  leaving  the  darkened  and  deserted  street 
leading  from  the  hotel,  entered  the  Allees  of  plane- 
trees  and  made  their  way  through  an  ever-changing, 
ever-moving  crowd  of  masks  and  dominoes.  The 
battle  of  confetti  continued  with  unabated  vigor, 
and  Miss  Reruick  and  Edwina,  being  without 
masks,  were  glad  of  their  veils  as  partial  protec- 
tion. Mr.  Remick  walked  between  them,  and  ex- 
cept for  the  necessary  motion  of  the  legs,  was  as 
inanimate  as  a  bronze.  Before  his  face  he  held 
a  large  palm-leaf  fan,  and  the  side-view  which 
Edwina  obtained  of  his  down-drawn  lips  and  the 
long  curved  nose  touching  the  fan  indicated  the 
endurance  of  the  stoic  amid  the  inconsequent  folly 
around  him.  Whenever  Edwina  paused  he  did  so 
with  instant  obedience,  never  regarding  the  where- 
fore, until  she  again  offered  to  move  on,  when  he 
walked  blindly  as  before. 

Miss  Remick's  tongue  flew  excitedly.  "  See  that 
great  ape,  Miss  Wilder  !  Whatever  has  he  got  on 
his  head  ?  Oh,  I  shall  have  a  fit  if  he  comes  near 
me !  Here  comes  a  whole  line  of  them  skipping. 
Ah,  Edward,  we  shall  be  run  down  !  "  and  the 
stout  lady  pulled  on  her  brother's  arm  in  a  panic. 

"Go  on  !  "  he  shouted  into  the  fan,  anchored  in 


174       MISS  PKITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

spite  of  himself  by  the  dead  weight.  The  rollick- 
ing maskers,  being  opposed  by  the  trio,  paused  in 
their  onslaught  and  began  dancing  up  and  down 
before  Miss  Remick,  laughing  and  chanting  over 
and  over,  "  La  taillefine,  Id  taillejine.'"' 

"  What  are  they  at  now  ?  "  cried  Miss  Remick. 

"  Commenting  on  your  slender  shape,  that 's 
all,"  returned  her  brother  without  lowering  his 
fan.  "  They  '11  give  over  in  a  minute." 

Edwina  laughed  irrepressibly.  "  Everything 
goes  at  carnival  time,"  she  said,  and  in  a  minute 
the  singers  broke  their  circle  and  ran  on,  and  Mr. 
Remick  resumed  his  stolid  march. 

"  Dear  me,  I  wish  I  were  masked,"  cried  Ed- 
wina. She  had  been  addressed  a  number  of  times 
in  passing  and  had  thrown  back  a  word  of  greet- 
ing. "  One  feels  at  such  a  stupid  disadvantage 
this  way." 

They  were  approaching  a  space  cleared  for  dan- 
cing, and  a  handsomely  dressed  harlequin,  whose 
turquoise  blue  and  silver  gleamed  in  the  arc  lights, 
ran  lightly  toward  her,  the  confetti  he  threw 
breaking  in  gold,  green,  and  purple  upon  her 
breast. 

"Si  je  ri 'avals  qu'une  rose,  Mademoiselle  ! 
Vous  me  connaissez,  rfest  ce  pas  ?  Je  vous  ai  vu 
souvent  dans  la  rue  d'Antibes." 

"  No,  I  think  not." 

"  Ah,  you  prefare  ze  English.  I  spik  it  too.  I 
do  many  faults,  I  know,  but  I  make  myself  under- 
stand. You  will  perhaps  honaire  me  wiz  a  dance  ?  " 


THE  CARNIVAL  175 

The  band  was  playing  a  waltz.  Mr.  Remick 
stood  immobile,  with  shaded  face,  remote  from  the 
turmoil  within  a  few  feet  of  him.  He  felt  Ed- 
wina's  hand  twitch  with  surprise  where  it  lay  in 
his  arm. 

"  No,  I  thank  you.     Oh,  no,"  she  said  hastily. 

"  Then  I  mek  a  little  promenade  wiz  you  ? " 
suggested  the  harlequin. 

"Allez-vous  ong  !  "  roared  Mr.  Remick  into  his 
fan. 

The  harlequin  laughed  and  his  bells  jingled. 
"  Ah,  ze  mad  gentleman  he  do  not  permeet.  He- 
las,  Mademoiselle  !  Au  revoir  !  "  and  with  a 
light  skip  and  a  mischievous  side-throw  of  confetti 
behind  the  shield  of  Edwina's  escort,  he  vanished. 

Mr.  Remick  brushed  the  paper  from  his  eyes 
and  whiskers  with  deliberate  composure,  spit  out  a 
few  disks,  and  passively  moved  on.  Edwina  now 
expected  some  bitter  comment  and  suggestion  as 
to  returning  home  ;  but  none  came.  Indeed,  her 
escort  was  as  ready  as  before  to  stop  at  the  slight- 
est hint,  to  wait  dumbly  while  his  sister  and  her 
friend  wondered,  and  laughed,  and  chattered. 

When  they  finally  found  a  good  place  to  observe 
the  fireworks  and  the  conflagration  of  gigantic, 
benevolent  King  Carnival,  Mr.  Remick  lowered 
his  fan,  crossed  his  arms  in  front  of  him,  and 
waited.  Edwina  could  not  observe  that  he  re- 
marked the  rockets  and  bombs.  His  countenance 
never  changed.  Only  when  the  sheets  of  flame 
enveloped  the  crowned  king,  he  regarded  the  smil- 
ing face  drearily. 


176       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  Rather  uncanny  that,"  he  said. 

"  Ugh  !  When  the  poor  thing'  drops,  it  looks 
barbarous,  does  n't  it  ?  "  responded  his  sister. 

The  three  returned,  two  of  them  weary  and 
happy,  to  the  hotel,  their  clothing  gay  with  con- 
fetti. 

"  I  '11  play  to  you  a  lot  for  this,  Mr.  Remick," 
said  Edwina  gratefully,  when  they  were  parting  in 
the  corridor.  "  I  appreciate  your  kindness,  for  I 
know  how  you  have  been  bored." 

"  Don't  mention  it,"  monotonously.  "  I  should 
have  been  quite  as  much  bored  in  bed,  I  dare  say." 

The  girl  gave  him  a  little  mischievous  nod. 
"  I  'm  learning  to  know  you  quite  well.  You  can't 
deceive  me  any  more." 

"Eh?  What?"  Mr.  Remick's  thin  lips  parted, 
and  he  looked  around  at  his  sister  to  see  if  she  had 
heard.  "  My  word  !  A  most  extraordinary  young 
person  !  "  He  looked  back,  but  Edwina  had  disao- 
peared. 


CHAPTER  X 

ROME 

THE  next  morning  the  men  with  wagons  and 
shovels  came  to  bear  off  the  heaps  of  confetti  that 
piled  the  sides  of  the  streets,  and  no  other  sign  was 
left  of  yesterday's  frolic  save  the  ill-temper  of  its 
weary  participants. 

One  pair  of  marchers  in  the  carnival  procession 
had  remained  in  Miss  Pritchard's  mind.  They 
consisted  of  a  cardboard  giant  and  a  little  girl  of 
seven  or  eight  years,  the  pair  being  labeled,  "  Les 
extremes  se  touchcnt."  The  little  child's  face  as 
she  trudged  past  the  stand  for  the  fourth  time 
showed  that  she  was  finding  a  carnival  a  serious 
affair,  and  Miss  Pritchard  hoped  she  was  as  lively 
to-day  as  when  yesterday  opened. 

Spring  was  coming  on,  and  though  floral  nature 
on  the  Riviera  was  taking  as  fresh  a  start  as  if  it 
had  reposed  all  winter  under  northern  snows,  our 
travelers  knew  they  must  not  be  lured  to  remain. 

"  I  can't  think  whatever  we  shall  do  without 
you,"  said  Miss  Remick,  when  they  announced  the 
date  of  their  departure. 

"  We  shall  likely  meet  again,"  said  Mr.  Rem- 
ick, addressing  space.  "  I  dare  say  my  sister  will 


178       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

give  me  no  peace  unless  she  travels  before  we  go 
home." 

"  I  hope  we  may  meet,  then,"  returned  Miss 
Pritchard  kindly. 

"  There  's  never  any  telling,  is  there  ?  "  said  Miss 
Remick  wistfully. 

The  following  day  Edwina,  coming  suddenly 
into  Miss  Pritchard's  room,  was  astonished  to  see 
the  latter  start  and  unquestionably  conceal  a  letter 
upon  which  she  had  been  engaged.  The  girl  made 
no  comment,  however. 

"  I  've  just  received  word  from  the  Hamburg- 
American  people,"  she  announced.  "  Our  passage 
is  secured  on  the  Patricia  for  August  twenty- 
sixth.  I  'm  going  to  take  my  book  and  go  out 
awhile.  Do  you  want  to  come  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I  won't,  this  afternoon,  Ned."  Miss 
Pritchard's  delicate  cheeks  were  pink  with  the 
color  which  still  rose  in  them  so  easily.  "  We 
were  out  so  long  this  morning,  and  " 

"  Oh,  no  excuses  are  necessary,"  said  Edwina 
airily. 

"  I  was  n't  making  excuses,  my  dear." 

"  Of  course  not  —  just  explanations.  Well, 
you  won't  be  lonely  if  I  go  ?  " 

"  Oh,  don't  think  of  me  at  all,"  earnestly.  "  Just 
go  and  stay  as  long  as  you  like.  When  I  finish 
my  —  when  I  get  dressed,  I  mean  —  I  '11  take  my 
book  out  on  the  terrace  until  you  come." 

"  All  right ;  "  Edwina  kissed  her,  smiling.  "  Give 
my  love  to  Miranda,  won't  you,  if  you  decide  to 
write  a  letter." 


ROME  179 

"  I  think  I  shall  write  her  this  afternoon,"  said 
Miss  Pritchard.  "  It  will  be  a  good  chance  while 
I  'm  by  myself." 

"  Ah,  you  're  glad  to  be  rid  of  me  !  There, 
you  're  looking  guilty  this  minute,  little  Eunice. 
What  are  you  meditating  ?  I  think  I  don't  dare 
go  unless  I  get  Miss  Remick  to  come  and  chap- 
erone  you." 

"  Go  along,  Ned  Wilder,  you  tiresome  child !  " 
"  '  Tarsome,'  you  mean.  Good-by.  Be  good." 
Edwina  left  the  house  and  took  her  way  to  a 
hotel  garden  which  always  allured  her.  Passing 
in  under  its  spreading  pines  and  palms,  she  saun- 
tered among  roses,  japouicas,  and  cacti  toward  a 
hillside  down  which  poured  a  brooklet  in  tiny  cas- 
cades. A  lifelike  Red  Riding  Hood  stood  on  one 
of  its  banks,  regarding  the  crafty  wolf  which 
paused  opposite  with  uplifted  paw  and  panting 
jaws. 

At  a  little  distance  a  fountain  rose  from  a  wide 
basin  of  gold-fish,  near  which  a  gnome  with  snowy 
beard  sat  patiently  fishing  as  he  smoked  his  com- 
forting pipe.  Edwina  seated  herself  and  looked 
up  longingly  for  the  birds  which  belonged  in  this 
home  of  her  childhood's  fairy  tales.  Alas !  the 
French  care  only  for  thrushes,  larks,  and  nightin- 
gales in  order  to  eat  them.  Edwina  always  ig- 
nored the  bird  course  at  dinner.  The  thought  of 
the  songs  hushed  in  those  tiny  throats  brought  a 
lump  to  her  own.  She  opened  her  book ;  but  it 
lay  iu  her  lap  while  she  smiled  at  the  gnome 
watching  his  line  so  assiduously. 


180       MISS  PEITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

"  It  may  be  Mr.  Glenn,"  she  mused.  "  She  may 
be  asking  him  to  write  to  some  other  girl  —  only  I 
know  she  is  n't.  That  is  why  she  asked  me  so 
particularly  this  morning  just  what  day  we  should 
arrive  in  Rome." 

She  picked  up  her  book  with  determination  and 
tried  to  read.  After  a  minute  her  fingers  relaxed 
their  hold  and  again  it  slowly  fell  back  into  her 
lap.  "  Now  she  can  add  when  we  are  going  home, 
and  by  what  ship,"  she  mused.  Her  lips  grew 
grave  ;  the  novel  was  not  resumed.  Her  clear  eyes 
gazed  at  the  lacy  foliage  of  a  mimosa  as  if  it  were 
whispering  something  to  her.  For  long  she  sat 
there,  finding  "  tongues  in  trees,  books  in  the  run- 
ning brooks,"  and  what  she  read  therein  held  her 
unconscious  of  the  flight  of  time. 

She  played  that  evening  to  Mr.  Remick  until  a 
late  hour.  Poor  old  man  !  She  half  disliked  part- 
ing from  him. 

When  finally  the  last  morning  arrived  and 
adieux  were  to  be  said,  his  dry,  bony  hand  gave 
hers  one  galvanic  shake.  "  You  '11  let  us  hear  from 
you,  I  dare  say,"  he  remarked  to  the  omnibus  into 
which  the  girl  was  about  to  mount. 

"  That  they  will,  I  'm  sure,"  said  Miss  Remick, 
who  was  looking  tearfully  at  Eunice  where  she 
smiled  a  farewell  from  the  window. 

"  Yes,  we  must  meet  again,"  said  Edwiua  cheer- 
ily. The  'bus  door  slammed,  the  horses  started. 
The  Americans  looked  back  at  the  stout  lady,  who 
touched  her  eyes  with  a  handkerchief  before  wav- 


ROME  181 

ing  it,  and  at  the  tall  thin  figure  motionless  beside 
her,  his  arms  crossed  before  him.  They  waved, 
the  road  wound,  and  trees  shut  off  the  view. 

"  End  of  another  chapter,"  said  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  And  probably  the  most  interesting." 

"  Not  if  we  succeed  in  seeing  the  Pope,"  replied 
Eunice  promptly. 

"  You  've  spoken  of  that  so  often,  lately,  cousin 
Eunice.  Of  course  I  should  like  to  see  him,  but 
I  don't  understand  your  craze  on  the  subject." 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  understand  it  myself.  I 
only  know  that  I  would  rather  see  him  than  any 
other  sovereign  in  the  world  ;  and  this  being  the 
Jubilee  year,  he  will  hold  so  many  receptions,  we 
may  accomplish  it." 

Edwina  shook  her  head.  "  Every  one  says  we 
can't  without  influence.  Why  did  n't  you  think 
of  it  before  we  left  home  ?  We  might  have 
secured  some  letters." 

"  As  if  I  could  think  of  anything  before  we  left 
home  !  Did  you  —  ahem  !  —  did  you  happen  to 
hear  what  Mr.  Champion  said  about  it  ?  " 

"No,  I  did  n't." 

The  omnibus  clattered  several  minutes  before 
Eunice  continued :  "  He  said  that  he  had  some 
influential  Catholic  friends  in  Home." 

"  Indeed.    Why  did  n't  you  ask  him  for  letters  ?  " 

"  I  did  n't  —  he  thought  —  he  said  —  well,  of 
course  you  know,  we  might  meet  him  there  — 
we  Ve  had  such  amazing  meetings." 

They  had  now  reached  the  station,  once  so  alien, 


182       MISS   PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

now  so  familiar,  and  Edwina  did  not  need  to  reply. 
The  much  dreaded  customs  at  Ventimile  proved 
to  be  only  tedious,  and  nothing  of  note  except  the 
beauty  of  the  scenery  marked  this  entrance  into 
Italy. 

The  travelers  stopped  for  two  nights  at  Genoa 
aud  viewed  the  palaces,  churches,  and  the  marvel- 
ous Campo  Santo  with  its  massive  marble  colon- 
nades, which  Mr.  Remick,  as  authority  on  ceme- 
teries, had  warned  them  not  to  miss. 

The  beautiful  ride  to  Pisa  had  every  charm  of 
peacock  sea,  green  terrace,  and  snowy  Alp.  The 
train  played  hide-and-seek  with  the  bewitching 
scenery  by  means  of  many  tunnels,  whose  fre- 
quency gave  opportunity  to  a  stout  Italian  woman 
in  the  carriage  to  take  snuff.  She  was  arrayed  in 
a  blue  watteau  wrapper  and  had  a  dark  plaid 
handkerchief  which  she  was  always  in  the  act  of 
using  as  they  emerged  from  tunnels,  and  which  on 
reaching  the  light  she  hastily  and  surreptitiously 
tucked  behind  her.  She  constituted  herself  host- 
ess to  every  one  who  entered  the  carriage,  did  many 
little  kindnesses,  talked  volubly  in  French  to  Ed- 
wina, inquiring  her  plans  and  assuring  her  that 
she  knew  her  hat  came  from  Nice,  and  was  alto- 
gether a  most  self-possessed  and  complacent  per- 
sonage. When  they  neared  Pisa  there  occurred  an 
astonishing  transformation  in  this  traveler.  She 
donned  a  fawn-colored  ulster  over  the  wrapper, 
assumed  a  large  hat  with  sweeping  plumes,  pulled 
light  gloves  over  her  fat  hands,  and  in  place  of  the 


ROME  183 

vanished  bandanna  a  snowy  kerchief  was  in  evi- 
dence. Eunice  and  Edwina  exchanged  a  look. 
They  could  hardly  believe  in  this  handsome  wo- 
man's identity. 

At  Pisa  they  spent  a  bell-ringing  night  by  the 
thick,  swift  Arno,  and  in  the  morning  drove  out 
to  where  on  a  spacious,  smooth,  daisy-strewn  lawn 
the  tower  and  cathedral  await  the  visitor.  They 
climbed  the  slanting  staircase  of  the  one  and  wan- 
dered about  among  the  church's  treasures  ;  but 
their  greatest  pleasure  was  in  the  baptistery,  whose 
mysterious  echo  turns  the  isolated  tones  uttered 
by  one  man  into  a  choir  of  angel  voices. 

It  was  very  late  that  night  when  the  travelers 
reached  Rome,  and  the  next  day  they  repaired  to 
a  pension  of  Champion's  recommending,  situated 
near  the  Borghese  Gardens.  The  sky  looked  as  if 
it  could  never  have  been  clouded.  Their  rooms 
had  a  balcony  facing  the  Medici  Garden  on  the 
Pincian  Hill,  and  the  landlady  spoke  French. 
Edwina's  cup  was  full.  Miss  Pritchard,  who  had 
not  been  without  fear  that  her  courier  would  ig- 
nore Champion's  choice  of  a  pension,  was  wreathed 
in  smiles. 

"I  do  believe,  Ned,  it 's  the  quietest  place  we  've 
ever  found.  No  village  could  have  fewer  bells  than 
this  part  of  Rome,  anyway." 

"  And  a  village  would  be  sure  to  have  more 
roosters." 

"  Yes  indeed  !  How  fortunate  we  are,  when 
tourists  are  already  pouring  in,  to  get  a  place  for 


184       MISS  PEITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

Holy  Week  !  It  seems  as  if  Mr.  Champion  must 
have  written." 

"  Oh  no,"  said  Edwina  coolly.  "  A  great  many 
people  must  have  an  English  speaking  place. 
This  would  n't  fill  up  nearly  so  fast  as  the  English 
pensions." 

"  Well,  we  're  here,  anyway !  "  said  Eunice  tri- 
umphantly. "  We  're  in  Rome !  " 

She  had  heard  vague  reports  all  her  life  that 
Italy  was  like  heaven,  and  from  her  experiences  in 
Genoa  and  Pisa  had  agreed  that  in  one  respect  it 
certainly  was,  there  being  no  night  there  ;  but  here, 
in  a  quiet  street  facing  "  the  hither  brow  of  the 
Piucian  Hill,"  with  wide  stretches  of  green  knoll 
and  valley  and  grand  old  trees  for  neighbors,  she 
saw  in  pleasant  anticipation  a  succession  of  still 
nights  and  dreamy  mornings  that  filled  her  with 
gratitude. 

"  That  young  man  always  seems  to  know  the 
right  thing  for  us  to  do,  Edwina.  I  will  do  him 
justice,  whether  you  will  or  not." 

They  settled  down  then  to  enjoy  the  city  of 
fountains  and  marbles.  They  rambled  industri- 
ously through  palaces  and  gardens  and  drove  on 
the  Pincio.  Miss  Pritchard  was  insatiate  of  the 
Vatican  and  St.  Peter's.  Somewhere  near  her  was 
the  Holy  Father  in  whose  personality  she  felt  such 
overwhelming  interest. 

One  bright  morning  Edwina  suggested  that  they 
drive  out  to  the  Catacombs. 

Eunice  drew  up  her  slender  shoulders.     "  I  've 


ROME  185 

always  shuddered  at  the  thought  of  them !  "  she 
said. 

"  But  you  would  n't  be  satisfied  not  to  see  them." 

"Perhaps  not;  but  —  let  us  wait  awhile."  A 
shade  of  embarrassment  stole  over  the  little  wo- 
man's face  as  she  met  her  child's  eyes. 

"What  for?  More  sunshine?  It  won't  pene- 
trate there.  Beside,  this  is  a  fine  day.  Is  it  more 
courage  you  're  waiting  for  ?  " 

"  N-no.  Not  exactly ;  but  —  but  perhaps 
there  will  be  somebody  —  be  some  one  we  shall  be 
acquainted  with,  so  we  should  n't  have  to  go  alone 
—  as  long  as  you  can't  speak  Italian." 

"  Did  n't  you  hear  me  yesterday  with  the  driver  ? 
Non  batti  il  cavallo,  —  no,  no,  NO  !  " 

"  Oh  yes.  How  effective  that  would  be  to  say 
to  a  guide  in  the  Catacombs  when  we  wanted  to 
get  out !  And  I  'm  sure  you  don't  know  another 
word.  It  will  be  such  a  pokerish  place,  Ned.  Do 
wait." 

"  For  whom  ? "  Edwina  tried  not  to  smile. 
"  You  look  as  if  you  had  somebody  in  mind." 

"  I  have  somebody  in  mind,"  said  Miss  Pritchard 
deliberately,  suddenly  very  dignified  and  very  red. 
"  I  think  Mr.  Champion  will  be  in  Rome  before 
long." 

Edwina's  countenance  grew  still  graver. 

"  I  could  n't  prevent  his  coining  to  Rome,  I 
suppose,"  went  on 'Eunice.  "Jubilee  year,  when 
every  one  is  coming  for  Easter,  and  when  thousands 
of  peasant  pilgrims  are  coming  from  all  over  Italy 


186       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TEIP 

in  every  sort  of  costume  that  of  course  he  will  want 
to  sketch.  I  was  thinking  of  it  yesterday  when 
we  saw  those  strange  ear-rings  and  head-dresses." 

"  Of  course,  so  useful  in  his  profession,"  mur- 
mured Edwina. 

"  Certainly ;  he  is  an  artist,  and  —  and  he  is 
very  familiar  with  Rome  :  and,  as  I  told  you,  he 
knows  people  and  can  help  us  perhaps  —  possibly 
he  can,  to  see  the  Pope." 

Edwina  took  her  cousin's  face  between  her 
hands.  "  It  would  be  strange  if  Mr.  Champion 
should  happen  to  know  when  we  came  and  where 
we  are  staying,  would  n't  it  ?  " 

Eunice  wriggled  her  warm  cheeks  free.  "  It 
might  be,"  she  said  with  dignity,  "  but  it  is  n't, 
because  I  wrote  to  him.  I  told  him  when  we  were 
coining." 

Edwina  regarded  her.  "We  have  very  good 
times  alone,  little  Eunice." 

"  Where  we  know  the  language,  we  do ;  but  a 
kind  friend  like  Mr.  Champion  will  certainly  be  a 
convenience  here." 

"  You  still  are  willing  to  make  a  convenience  of 
him." 

The  girl's  tone  was  quiet,  and  Miss  Pritchard 
could  not  tell  how  much  feeling  might  lie  behind 
it.  She  vividly  remembered  Ascot. 

"  This  is  different,"  she  said  hastily.  "  I  would 
make  use  of  anybody  to  see  Leo  XIII.  Since  we 
came  I've  heard  nothing  but  how  hard  it  is  even 
for  Catholics  to  get  an  opportunity  ;  and  I  'in  so 


ROME  187 

glad  I  know  Mr.  Champion.  Do  be  pleasant  about 
it,  Edwina,  and  be  nice  to  him  if  he  comes." 

Edwina  moved  to  the  window  and  looked  toward 
the  belvedere  in  the  Medici  Garden.  "  Of  course 
I  will,"  she  answered. 

Her  passive  manner  contrasted  strikingly  with 
the  satisfaction  and  interest  she  showed  later  the 
same  morning  in  the  reception  of  a  letter  from 
Ralph  Glenn.  "  He  grows  cleverer  and  cleverer," 
she  said,  laughing  over  the  closely  written  pages. 
"  You  must  read  this,  cousin  Eunice.  It  is  very 
bright."  And  Miss  Pritchard,  charmed  to  have 
her  child  light-hearted,  tried  to  show  some  pleasure 
in  Mr.  Glenn's  witticisms. 


CHAPTER  XI 

EDWINA'S  PROMISE 

IT  was  one  morning  when  Edwina  was  absent 
that  Champion's  card  was  brought  to  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  as  she  sat  in  her  room  repairing  the  braid  on 
a  skirt.  Her  first  thought,  as  the  servant  handed 
it  to  her,  was  of  this  fortunate  coincidence,  and, 
well  pleased  with  fortune,  she  looked  in  the  glass 
for  a  last  smoothing  of  her  silky  bands  of  gray 
hair  before  going  to  the  salon. 

Champion's  broad  back  was  toward  her  as  he 
stood  in  a  window,  hat  and  stick  in  hand.  He 
turned  suddenly  at  her  greeting. 

"  Good  morning.  Is  it  too  early  ?  I  thought  I 
would  catch  you  before  you  could  be  gone  for  the 
day." 

"  Oh  no,  this  isn't  very  early  for  us." 

Eunice  indicated  a  seat  near  her  own,  and  they 
regarded  one  another  for  a  moment  with  that  cor- 
diality which  so  easily  spi-ings  up  between  Ameri- 
cans in  a  foreign  land. 

"  When  did  you  reach  Rome  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Yesterday.  You  see,  I  have  not  wasted 
time." 

"  You  always  are  just  so  kind  !  " 


EDWINA'S  PROMISE  189 

"  I  hope  your  confidence  will  not  be  misplaced 
in  this  instance.  Rome  is  packed  with  people  as 
desirous  of  seeing  the  Pope  as  you  are,  and  the 
pilgrims  are  making  such  demands  on  his  time  and 
strength,  it  is  more  than  ordinarily  difficult.  I 
haven't  seen  my  friend,  Monsignor  Baccelli,  yet, 
but  I  know  be  will  oblige  me  if  he  can.  The  best 
chance  will  be  to  get  into  some  large  general  recep- 
tion to  pilgrims  at  St.  Peter's." 

"Do  you  dislike  to  ask  your  friend?"  asked 
Eunice  timidly,  with  still  greater  thankfulness  for 
her  child's  absence. 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  returned  Champion  heartily. 

"  But  you  are  not  a  Catholic?  " 

"  No.  Monsignor  was  a  great  friend  of  my 
father.  He  will  be  glad  to  oblige  me  if  he  can. 
People  pay  high  prices  for  these  tickets,  of  course." 

Edwina  seemed  to  loom  tall  and  accusing  before 
her  guardian,  who  spoke  as  if  the  actual  presence 
coerced  her. 

"  Then  we  should  pay  too,"  she  said  hurriedly. 
"  Edwina  would  never  consent  to  any  other  arrange- 
ment." 

Champion  smiled  into  the  crown  of  his  hat,  then 
up  at  his  companion. 

"  Let  us  not  be  afraid  of  her.  Let  us  run  this 
our  own  way  and  keep  our  own  counsel." 

Eunice  looked  dubious.  "  She  might  ask  me 
something.  She  will  ask  me,"  she  said,  lowering 
her  voice.  "  No,  if  it  is  n't  too  expensive,  I  will 
buy  tickets  with  pleasure." 


190       MISS  PRITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Her  companion  laughed  softly.  "  Leave  it  to 
me,"  he  said  presently.  "  It  is  very  absurd  to  buy 
tickets  for  such  a  function.  I  think  you  won't 
have  to.  Is  Miss  Wilder  well  ?  " 

"  Always,  I  'm  grateful  to  say.  She  is  at  the 
Forum  this  morning.  She  thought  it  would  save 
me  a  good  deal  if  she  familiarized  herself  with  it 
first." 

"  Quite  right,  too.  The  fine  weather  has  set  in, 
evidently." 

"  We  have  it  everywhere.  People  ought  to  pay 
us  for  staying  in  places." 

The  young  man  regarded  her  beaming  face 
quizzically.  "I  suppose  your  better  judgment  is 
a  thing  of  the  past." 

Miss  Pritchard  stirred  and  smiled  consciously. 
"  Oh,  it  still  acts  as  a  rudder ;  but  I  'm  sure  now 
it  was  just  the  thing  for  us  to  come,  even,"  with  a 
sigh,  "•  if  we  go  back  to  the  same  life  we  left." 

"  You  sigh.  I  'm  sure  you  and  Miss  WTilder, 
quite  alone  in  the  world  as  you  tell  me,  must  have 
a  cosy  time  of  it." 

"  If  we  could  be  alone,"  said  Eunice  devoutly, 
"  it  is  all  I  would  ever  ask  ;  but  then  —  I  suppose 
it  is  unreasonable  to  expect  it." 

"  Miss  Wilder  has  been  in  school  up  to  now,  I 
thought?" 

"  Yes,  but  there  are  vacations,"  said  Eunice  dis- 
mally. 

"  And  engagements  will  take  place  in  vacations." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  Miss  Pritchard 
with  startling  sharpness. 


EDWINA'S  PROMISE  191 

Champion,  looking  up  in  surprise,  observed  that 
she  was  really  pale. 

"  You  don't  know  what  you  're  talking  about  if 
you  think  Edwina  would  ever  allow  anything  like 
that  unknown  to  me.  She  may  have  spoken  to 
you  about  Mr.  Glenn.  Of  course  he  writes  a  great 
deal,  and  all  that ;  but  there  is  nothing  of  the  kind 
yet.  You  have  misunderstood  "  — 

"  I  never  heard  of  Mr.  Glenn,"  said  Champion, 
hastily  interrupting  these  disclosures,  which  he  did 
not  appear  to  find  exhilarating.  The  opportunity 
had  offered  temptation  to  inquiry,  but  he  had  not 
intended  to  succeed  so  suddenly  and  so  well.  "  I 
merely  meant  that  there  are  many  social  engage- 
ments for  a  girl  during  vacations." 

"  Oh !  "  Miss  Pritchard  gave  a  little  shake  of 
the  head  and  a  smile  as  she.  recovered  herself. 
"  Indeed  there  ai*e.  So  you  see  when  we  go  home 
I  know  I  shall  have  so  much  less  of  Edwina  than 
I  do  over  here  that  I  rather  dread  it." 

"  Yet  you  are  going  August  twenty-sixth." 

"  Did  I  tell  you  ?  So  I  did.  I  remember  Ed- 
wina came  in  and  told  me  just  as  I  was  in  the 
midst  of  that  letter  to  you." 

"  Why  do  you  go  so  soon  ?  " 

"  She  thought  the  boats  would  be  so  much  worse 
crowded  a  little  later,  on  account  of  the  return  from 
the  Paris  Exposition." 

"  I  should  think  you  would  have  been  tempted 
to  stay  over  a  year  longer  and  let  Miss  Wilder 
spend  a  winter  studying  in  Germany." 


192       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

It  did  not  impress  Miss  Pritchard  as  at  all 
strange  that  this  young  man  should  speculate  con- 
cerning the  subject  she  found  the  most  interesting 
in  the  world. 

"  Why  did  n't  I  think  of  that !  "  she  said.  "  It 
is  n't  too  late  yet.  We  could  give  up  our  tickets, 
don't  you  think  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  I  '11  suggest  it  to  Edwina.  It  would  be  so 
good  for  her  to  learn  German  thoroughly.  Of 
course,"  sighing  again,  "  it  would  be  hard  for  me 
being  where  I  don't  know  the  language.  In  Paris 
Edwina  used  to  write  out  the  words  I  wanted  to 
remember,  spelling  them  the  way  they  were  pro- 
nounced, so  if  she  were  away  I  could  ask  the 
maid  for  water  or  anything  like  that,  or  if  I  was 
outdoors,  I  could  ask  for  a  street.  The  trouble 
was,  I  used  to  get  the  papers  mixed  ;  and  one  day 
I  wanted  water  and  I  rang  for  the  maid  and  then 
read  off  my  paper, '  Chonz-ele-zay.'  The  girl  looked 
at  me  very  stupidly,  and  I  said  it  over  plainer  and 
plainer,  and  at  last  she  went  and  called  a  cab.  I 
know  I  should  have  all  kinds  of  trouble  in  Ger- 
many." 

Champion  laughed  and  rose.  "  Well,  be  careful 
not  to  let  Miss  Wilder  know  it  was  my  proposi- 
tion, if  you  want  her  to  think  favorably  of  it." 

Eunice  colored.  "  Oh,  Mr.  Champion  !  I  'm 
sure "  —  she  began,  embarrassed,  and  never  got 
any  farther,  for  he  said  good-by,  shaking  hands 
with  her  heartily. 


ED  WIN A' S  PROMISE  193 

"  You  shall  hear  from  me  soon  concerning  his 
Holiness.  I  shall  be  delighted  if  it  proves  that  I 
can  be  of  service  to  you." 

The  little  woman  stood  for  a  moment  where  he 
left  her,  biting  her  lip.  "  That  provoking  child  !  " 
she  reflected.  "  I  thought  he  could  n't  help  seeing 
it,  and  yet  he  goes  on  taking  such  an  interest  and 
being  so  kind.  I  wish  I  had  brought  Edwina  up 
as  well  as  his  mother  did  him  !  " 

When  the  girl  returned  to  lunch  she  found  her 
guardian  in  a  rather  dignified  mood.  Eunice 
thought  it  best  to  adopt  this  air  in  relating  that 
Champion  had  called,  and  describing  his  kind  in- 
tentions. Edwina  received  the  news  with  pleasant 
monosyllables  and  made  no  comment. 

"I  should  think,"  said  her  guardian  bridling, 
"  you  could  at  least  say  you  were  glad  there  was  so 
good  a  prospect  of  our  seeing  the  Pope." 

"  I  want  to  see  him  very  much.  I  've  caught 
the  fever  ;  but  a  good  many  people  buy  tickets." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Eunice  composedly.  "  So 
shall  we  if  it  is  necessary.  Even  if  we  wanted  to 
buy  them,  we  should  n't  know  where  to  go  or  how 
to  do  it.  It  has  to  be  by  chance  in  some  side  way 
that  we  don't  know  anything  about.  We  're  just 
as  dependent  on  Mr.  Champion  as  ever." 

"  I  suspect  we  are,"  responded  Edwina.  She 
added  after  a  minute,  "  You  seem  to  have  found 
at  last  some  use  for  a  man." 

"  They  're  often  very  convenient,"  returned  Eu- 
nice. She  had  begun  to  think  again  of  Champion's 


194       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

suggestion.  "  I  have  a  new  idea,  Ned,"  she  added 
with  a  smiling  upward  glance.  "  Let  's  not  go 
home." 

"  Why,  that 's  an  old  idea,"  answered  the  girl. 
"  You  decided  that  on  shipboard." 

"  Why  should  n't  we  give  up  our  passage  on  the 
Patricia  and  spend  next  winter  in  Germany,  and 
let  you  study  ?  " 

Edwina  did  not  look  elated.  "  Don't  you  think 
it  would  be  nice  to  go  home  first  ?  " 

A  cloud  fell  over  her  guardian's  transparent 
face.  "  I  thought  you'd  be  delighted,  Ned." 

"  We  shall  have  been  gone  nearly  a  year  and 
a  half  as  it  is.  I  think  you  would  be  home- 
sick during  a  long  cold  winter  in  Germany,  cousin 
Eunice." 

Miss  Pritchard  finished  folding  and  putting 
away  some  work,  her  thoughts,  as  usual  after  tak- 
ing alarm,  rushing  on  to  dire  conclusions ;  then 
she  came  close  to  her  tall  child  and  taking  both 
her  hands,  looked  scrutinizingly  up  into  her  face. 

"  Ned,"  she  began,  "  what  makes  you  so  anxious 
to  go  home  ?  Tell  me  one  thing,  dear,  has  any 
man  anything  to  do  with  it?  I'm  not  g<»ing  to 
coerce  you,  or  oppose  you,  or  do  anything  to  make 
you  unhappy  ;  but  sometimes  I  fear  that  you  may 
surprise  me.  I  tell  you  now,  I  could  n't  stand  it 
to  be  surprised.  Let  me  into  your  heart,  Ned, 
from  the  very  first.  If  Mr.  Glenn's  letters  have 
won  your  admiration  so  that  you  want  to  go  back 
to  see  if  he  really  comes  up  to  the  ideal  you  are 


ED WIN 'A 'S  PROMISE  195 

forming  of  him,  let  me  know  it.  You  couldn't 
have  any  pride  with  me,  Ned,  —  my  little  girl?" 

The  appeal  in  her  voice  would  have  touched  a 
hard  heart.  Edwina's  clear  eyes  were  very  soft  as 
they  looked  unwaveringly  into  the  upraised  ones. 

"  Listen  to  me,  cousin  Eunice,  for  now  I  am 
going  to  tell  you  something  important." 

Miss  Pritchard's  whole  person  expressed  atten- 
tion. 

"  I  will  never  marry  any  one  until  you  ask  me 
to,"  said  the  girl  slowly. 

Eunice  gave  a  little  involuntary  start.  "  Then 
you  '11  be  an  old  maid  all  your  life,"  was  the  quick 
reply. 

Edwina  nodded  deliberately,  without  removing 
her  eyes,  and  even  to  her  loving  guardian  she  had 
never  looked  so  pretty. 

"  You  could  scarcely  do  better,  Ned,  —  scarcely 
do  better." 

"  For  better  or  for  worse,  that  is  my  determina- 
tion," said  Edwina. 

"  And  not  made  unhappily,  or  under  force  ?  " 

"  Made  cheerfully  and  willingly.  Does  that 
close  the  subject  to  your  satisfaction?  "  smiling. 

"  Yes  —  but  still  you  wish  to  go  home." 

"  The  last  of  August,  yes."  At  last  the  girl 
colored  richly. 

Eunice  dropped  her  hands  contentedly.  "  It 's 
full  as  sensible,  I  dare  say.  It  was  Mr.  Champion 
suggested  your  staying  in  Germany.  I  did  n't  say 
so  at  first,  for  fear  of  prejudicing  you  against  the 
plan." 


196       MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING   TEIP 

"  Is  he  going  to  stay  over  ?  "  asked  Ed  win  a 
quietly. 

"  I  don't  suppose  so.  He  did  n't  say  anything 
about  his  plans." 

The  girl  moved  to  the  window  and  looked  across 
the  sweep  of  ilex  groves,  between  the  towers  of  the 
Villa  Medici,  to  the  far  dome  of  St.  Peter's.  "  This 
is  the  afternoon  we  can  get  into  the  Medici  Gar- 
den," she  suggested  after  a  minute.  u  Let  us  go." 

Miss  Pritchard  assented  with  the  anticipatory 
relish  which  the  last  year  had  taught  her. 

They  drove  for  awhile  in  the  small  circuit  of  the 
Pincio  and  then  left  its  band  and  accumulating 
crowd  for  the  long,  hushed,  green  alleys  of  the  old 
villa  grounds  with  their  population  of  broken- 
nosed,  weather-beaten  statues.  Climbing  the  stair- 
case to  the  upper  garden,  the  mysterious  green 
depths  of  the  bosco  came  in  view.  They  sat  on  the 
terrace  listening  to  intoxicating  bird-songs  ren- 
dered by  descendants  of  those  who  made  melody 
for  Lucullus  at  his  feasts  ;  and  then  entered  the 
grove  and  climbed  the  mossy  stone  steps  that  lead 
to  the  belvedere. 

"  I  declare,  this  is  a  satisfaction,"  said  Eunice 
when  she  had  attained  the  covered  pavilion  which 
they  saw  daily,  so  near  and  yet  so  far  from  their 
window.  "  Don't  you  remember  how  I  would  n't 
believe  this  summer  house  did  n't  set  on  a  smooth 
grassy  hill  —  and  here  it  was  the  tops  of  trees 
after  all." 

She  looked  with  interest  at  the  ilex  foliage  slop- 


ED WIN 'A1  S  PEOMISE  197 

ing  evenly  away  on  all  sides,  close  and  homogene- 
ous as  turf,  and  appearing  at  a  little  distance  to 
support  the  belvedere.  The  view  of  Rome  and  the 
Campagna  was  wide.  The  sun  dipped  lovingly 
toward  St.  Peter's  when  they  came  down  again  out 
of  the  treetops,  and  strolled  through  the  moist, 
verdant  alleys  back  into  the  street. 

Down  the  Spanish  steps  and  to  the  Corso  they 
sauntered,  being  rewarded  for  this  walk  by  seeing 
the  king  drive  slowly  by,  the  inevitable  solemn 
black  of  his  entire  equipage  making  strange  con- 
trast to  the  vivid  scarlet  of  the  queen's  liveries, 
which  caused  her  carriage  to  be  recognizable  while 
far  distant. 

They  drank  his  Majesty's  health  in  chocolate 
at  the  Cafe  Nazionale,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  swal- 
low Miss  Pritchard  set  her  cup  down  emphatically. 

"  How  stupid  of  me  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  What  ?  "  asked  Edwina. 

"  Oh  —  nothing  of  any  consequence." 

"  Evidently." 

"  Nothing  you  would  have  any  sympathy  with, 
then." 

"  Now,  cousin  Eunice,  that 's  unkind." 

Edwina  smiled  at  the  small  cakes  on  her  plate. 
Nothing  amused  her  more  than  the  rare  occasions 
when  Miss  Pritchard  endeavored  to  keep  her  own 
counsel. 

"  Ahem !     It 's  nothing,  I  tell  you." 

Edwina  shook  her  head,  assuming  a  look  of  re- 
signation. "  My  rival  again,  I  suppose." 


198       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Now  you  don't  think,  dear,  that  I  rely  on  him 
in  anything  where  you  could  do  as  well  ?  " 

"How  do  I  know?" 

"  I  was  only  thinking  of  the  Catacombs.  It 
came  over  me  all  of  a  sudden  that  I  forgot  to 
speak  about  them  ;  and  I  have  n't  an  idea  where 
Mr.  Champion  is  staying." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,  cousin  Eunice  —  I  don't 
understand  you  at  all !  " 

"  Why,  what  difference  could  it  make  to  him  ? 
He  is  such  a  good-natured  young  man  any  way  ; 
and  it  is  n't  like  asking  him  to  do  anything  for  us, 
or  even  go  alone  with  us.  People  go  through  in 
parties,  I  understand,  and  all  I  ask  for  is  to  go  in 
his  party  ;  then  if  I  should  faint  or  anything  "  — 

"  Cousin  Eunice  !  " 

"  Well,  I  've  always  had  an  idea  I  should  faint." 

"  Then  why  go  ?  " 

"Edwina!"  reproachfully.  "Do  you  think  I 
could  miss  it  ?  Mr.  Champion  would  n't  mind 
carrying  me,  if  worse  came  to  worst,  any  more  than 
he  would  his  cane  ;  and  the  very  thought  of  an 
Italian  guide  having  to  pick  me  up,  and  sputtering 
the  way  they  do  !  Well —  what  are  you  laughing 
at,  Edwina?  The  only  point  I  make  is  that  I 
want  to  speak  to  him  about  it  before  he  goes, 
because  I  could  n't  ask  him  to  go  twice." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  ;  perhaps  you  could." 

"  We  might  go  back  to  Cook's  and  see  if  he  's 
registered  there,"  went  on  Miss  Pritchard,  un- 
observant of  this  thrust. 


EDWINA'S  PROMISE  199 

"  I  would  n't.  You  will  hear  from  him  soon 
about  the  Pope  business.  You  may  be  sure  he 
will  never  think  of  going  near  the  Catacombs,  — 
probably  knows  them  by  heart.  More  than  that, 
he  probably  has  hosts  of  friends  here.  Don't  let 
us  take  him  away  from  them  again  !  " 

"Edwina,"  with  great  dignity,  "  I  beg  you  not 
to  be  morbid  and  foolish.  Mr.  Champion  and 
I  understand  each  other  perfectly,  and  it 's  — 
it 's  "  — 

"  None  of  my  business  ?  Pray  don't  spare  my 
feelings,"  but  the  girl  was  laughing,  and  her  eyes 
twinkling  in  the  way  Eunice  liked  best  to  see 
them,  so  she  laughed  too,  and  said  to  herself  that 
each  day  of  this  delightful  wedding  trip  of  hers 
was  happier  than  the  last. 

Miss  Pritchard's  grateful  estimate  of  Howard 
Champion  as  a  disinterestedly  kind  and  attentive 
friend  went  several  degrees  higher  when  on  the 
following  evening  his  card  was  brought  to  her  as 
she  and  Edwina  sat  by  their  lamp,  the  one  study- 
ing Baedeker  and  the  other  writing  a  letter. 

"  Now  you  're  coming  into  the  salon,  Ned,"  said 
Eunice,  in  the  tone  of  one  who  expects  a  contest. 

"  W  hy  ?  "  The  girl  looked  up,  dipping  her 
pen. 

"  Because  it  would  be  uncivil  not  to." 

"  He  has  only  come  on  business." 

"  Your  business  as  much  as  mine.  Don't  you 
intend  to  see  the  Pope  ?  That  letter  to  Mr. 
Glenn,"  with  suppressed  impatience,  "  will  keep." 


200       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  It  is  n't  to  Mr.  Glenn." 

"  Well.  At  any  rate,  I  insist  upon  your  com- 
ing to  "  — 

"  To  see  that  good,  kind  young  man,"  finished 
Edwina.  "  When  you  insist,  little  Eunice,  I  obey, 
and  I  always  shall." 

"  Well,  I  'm  glad,"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  with  a 
sigh  of  relief.  "  And  do  behave  as  you  do  with 
those  silly,  uninteresting  creatures  at  home.  Act 
as  if  you  had  a  little  life,  and  don't  leave  every- 
thing to  me." 

"  But  you  understand  each  other  so  perfectly," 
murmured  Edwina,  the  corners  of  her  mouth 
twitching  as  she  glanced  in  the  mirror. 

Eunice  appeared  not  to  trust  her,  for  she  seized 
her  arm  and  walked  her  down  the  corridor  to  the 
salon  at  a  smart  pace,  —  a  proceeding  which  caused 
Edwina  to  greet  Champion  with  unwonted  smiles. 

"  Well,  you  both  look  as  if  sight-seeing  contin- 
ued to  agree  with  you,"  he  remarked. 

Eunice  heaved  a  sigh  as  she  took  a  seat.  "  It 
shows  what  good  condition  we  're  in.  The  guide 
books  all  complain  of  how  modern  Rome  has  in- 
jured picturesque  Rome  hopelessly  any  way,  so  I 
don't  see  why  they  can't  go  one  step  further  and 
save  iis  thousands  of  steps.  If  they  'd  let  me 
gather  into  one  great  palace  the  masterpieces 
scattered  all  over  this  city,  tourists  would  build  a 
monument  to  me  as  high  as  the  one  we  would  like 
to  build  to  Baedeker.  As  it  is,  you  have  to  travel 
miles  to  see  three  statues  by  Michelangelo,  and 


ED  WIN A' S  PEOMISE  201 

just  so  with  the  paintings.  This  villa  and  that 
palace  may  be  two  squares  apart,  but-not  both  open 
the  same  day." 

"  However,  we  're  not  complaining,"  said  Ed- 
wina. 

"  Certainly  not,"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  "  with 
magnolias  and  japonicas  in  their  glory  everywhere, 
and  the  birds  in  the  Borghese  Gardens  waking  me 
up  every  morning." 

"  I  fancy  no  works  of  art  give  you  pleasure 
equal  to  those  of  nature,  even  in  Rome,"  said 
Champion. 

"  I  don't  know,"  returned  Eunice.  "  I  've  had 
feelings  here  I  never  knew  before.  When  I  looked 
at  that  Dying  Gladiator  and  seemed  to  realize  the 
excitement  it  must  have  been  to  find  him,  and  how 
long  that  creamy  old  marble  had  lain  underground 
before  it  was  resurrected,  and  the  way  great  men 
have  studied  and  reverenced  him  and  a  lot  more  of 
them,  it 's  very  thrilling.  Edwina  has  a  book  full 
of  quotations  from  authorities,  and  we  read  what 
they  say  of  a  statue  or  picture,  and  then  I  try  to 
see  in  them  what  they  saw." 

"  And  she  does  n't  always  succeed,"  said  Ed- 
wina. "  At  the  Doria  gallery  this  morning,  I  read 
her  Ruskin's  sarcastic  description  of  Claude  Lor- 
raine's '  Mill.'  Cousin  Eunice  studied  the  pas- 
toral scene  while  she  listened,  and  then  said  :  4  I 
don't  care ;  that  lady  in  the  foreground  is  real 
pretty,  arid  it  must  have  been  lots  of  trouble  to 
paint  it.'" 


202       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Champion  smiled.  "  I  'm  sure  Claude's  ghost 
should  have  felt  grateful  for  such  gentle  consola- 
tion. Let  me  see  :  is  n't  that  the  collection  where 
the  great  portrait  is  of  Innocent  X.  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  believe  he  was  guilt  personified,  was  n't 
he?" 

"  I  think  so.     At  any  rate,  he  looks  the  part." 

"  I  really  am  tired  of  Romulus  and  Remus," 
said  Miss  Pritchard.  "  Marble,  plaster,  chocolate, 
sugar,  —  they  're  made  of  everything." 

"  I  fancy  that  live  wolf  in  a  cage  on  the  Capito- 
line  Hill  agrees  with  you.  I  'm  certain  he  wishes 
his  ancestor  had  not  been  so  hospitable,"  said 
Champion. 

"  Of  course,  there  have  to  be  some  things  you 
don't  care  for  everywhere,"  said  Eunice,  after 
waiting  a  moment  to  see  if  Edwina  were  intending 
to  speak,  and  finding  that  she  had  no  thought  of 
it.  "  The  Capuchin  Cemetery,  for  instance,  gave 
me  the  shudders  with  its  robed  mummies  and  bony 
decorations  ;  and  oh,  Mr.  Champion,"  with  lively 
interest,  "  speaking  of  cemeteries,  have  you  been 
to  the  Catacombs,  yet?  " 

"  Not  this  time." 

"  Are  you  going  ?  " 

"  I  had  n't  thought."  He  glanced  over  at  Ed- 
wina, whose  eyes  met  his.  The  passive  manner 
with  which  she  customarily  favored  him  had  re- 
turned. He  well  knew  it  was  not  her  natural  one. 

"  Why  do  you  ask,  Miss  Pritchard  ?  "  returning 
to  the  alert  little  woman. 


EDWIN A' S  PEOMISE  203 

"  Why,  you  see,  —  we  felt  —  we  feel  a  little  ner- 
vous about  the  Catacombs." 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  Edwin  a.  "  I  think  it  would 
be  fair  for  you  to  explain  that  that  is  the  editorial 
«  we.' " 

Eunice  would  not  look  in  her  direction  for  fear 
of  disheartenment.  "We  thought  —  that  is,  I 
thought  if  you  were  naturally  going,  we  would"  — 
she  paused. 

"  We  would  naturally  go  the  same  day,"  finished 
Edwina,  smiling.  "  Cousin  Eunice  is  planning  to 
faint  in  the  Catacombs,  Mr.  Champion.  It  is  only 
honest  to  tell  you." 

"  At  your  service,"  he  responded,  with  a  sweep- 
ing bow  toward  Miss  Pritchard.  "  Command 
me." 

"  Edwina  thinks  I  command  you  a  great  deal." 

"  Why  not,  if  we  both  like  it?  "  was  the  prompt 
response. 

"  There  !  "  ejaculated  Eunice  naively,  turning 
upon  her  child. 

Edwina  shrugged  her  pretty  shoulder  and  twisted 
a  ring. 

"  W  hen  shall  we  go  ?  To-morrow  ?  I  am  the 
idlest  person  in  Rome." 

"  Yes,  to-morrow.  Let 's  have  it  over.  Don't 
you  say  so,  Ned  ?  " 

Edwina  agreed  sedately. 

"  And  your  friend,  Mr.  Champion  —  the  priest." 

"  Yes,  I  've  seen  Monsignor.  It  is  too  late  for 
him  to  get  seats  for  you  at  St.  Peter's  for  Easter, 


204       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

—  I  was  hoping  to  accomplish  that.  As  to  the 
Pope"- 

Miss  Pritchard's  eager  eyes  dilated. 

"  He  is  going  to  try." 

The  visitor  soon  took  his  leave,  one  hostess  giv- 
ing his  hand  a  cordial  pressure  and  the  other  plea- 
santly civil. 

"  How  kind  he  is  !  "  exclaimed  Eunice.  "  Do 
you  think,  Edwina  Wilder,  one  man  in  a  thousand 
would  take  so  much  pains  to  please  an  old  woman 
like  me  ?  " 

"  They  ought  to  if  they  would  n't,"  said  Edwina, 
embracing  her,  the  expression  of  Champion's  eyes 
at  parting  still  in  her  mind.  "  He  has  better  taste 
than  the  average." 

"  Oh,  you  wiU  admit  that  ?  " 

Edwina  turned  away  and  smiled  an  instant  at 
the  shutters  before  closing  them.  "  Certainly," 
she  answered.  "  It 's  not  for  me  to  question  his 
taste." 


CHAPTER  XII 


THE  three  drove  the  next  day  out  the  Appian 
Way.  Champion  sat  with  his  back  to  the  horses 
and  answered  Miss  Pritchard's  questions  to  her 
entire  satisfaction.  Edwina,  in  silent  but  con- 
tented mood,  looked  over  the  sunny  Campagna. 
Whenever  her  eyes  returned  they  were  sure  to 
meet  Champion's,  puzzled  and  inquiring  as  they 
had  been  last  evening  when  he  said  good-night. 
Often  he  too  lapsed  into  a  brown  study,  frdm 
which  Miss  Pritchard's  earnest  queries  roused  him. 

They  stopped  to  enter  the  little  Quo  Vadis 
church,  where  is  preserved  in  marble  a  copy  of  the 
print  of  the  Saviour's  feet  when  he  appeared  on  this 
spot  to  the  fleeing  Peter  and  turned  him  back  to 
duty.  Eunice's  Puritan  blood  was  stirred  as  she 
retreated  from  the  garrulous  old  woman  to  whom 
Champion  gave  some  coins. 

"  The  blind  and  awful  superstition  of  this 
place  !  "  she  ejaculated.  "  Let 's  get  on  to  the  spot 
where  once  at  least  real  Christians  did  worship." 

When  they  arrived  at  the  Catacombs  a  young 
monk,  who  was  selling  the  usual  souvenirs  at  an 
out-of-door  counter,  came  forward  with  a  greeting. 


206       MISS  PEITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

A  few  other  tourists  were  waiting,  and  the  monk 
signified  that  he  was  now  ready  to  conduct  the 
party.  He  was  a  slender,  wiry,  alert  young  man, 
and  the  spirit  of  gayety  twinkling  in  his  eyes  and 
lurking  in  the  corners  of  his  thin  lips  seemed  out 
of  accord  with  his  shaved  crown  and  rope-bound 
gown. 

u  There,  I  'm  sure  you  would  n't  have  minded 
having  him  carry  you,"  murmured  Edwina  to  her 
cousin.  "  He  looks  as  if  he  would  enjoy  march- 
ing off  with  you  pick-a-back." 

"  Don't  joke  right  now,  Ned,"  returned  Miss 
Pritchard  with  a  sort  of  awful  gentleness.  The 
realization  of  what  she  was  about  to  do  suddenly 
seemed  overwhelming  in  its  nearness. 

Meanwhile  Champion  was  talking  to  the  monk, 
who  responded  briskly  while  he  lighted  the  torches. 
He  answered  in  the  affirmative  when  asked  if  he 
would  give  his  explanations  in  French,  and  began 
so  volubly  in  the  latter  language  that  Champion 
smiled  and  asked  him  if  he  could  speak  German 
as  well. 

The  monk  made  a  dissenting  grimace.  "  Ah 
no  ;  that  gives  me  a  sore  throat,"  he  said  in 
French,  with  a  shrug. 

He  gave  a  torch  to  each  of  the  party. 

"  Mr.  Champion,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  confi- 
dentially, with  an  assumption  of  lightness.  "  it 's 
sort  of  silly  in  me  to  go  down,  after  all.  I  can't 
understand  anything  he  says,  you  know,  and  it's 
very  bright  and  pleasant  on  this  hill.  I  think 


THE   CATACOMBS  207 

I  '11  just  sit  here  and  wait ;  and  you  and  Ned  can 
tell  me  "  - 

Her  torch  was  as  wavering  as  her  voice,  and 
the  young  man  clasped  her  free  hand  in  his  and 
drew  her  gently  after  the  others,  who  were  de- 
scending a  long  flight  of  steps  into  the  earth. 

"  Come  right  along,"  he  said  kindly.  "  We  're 
going  to  have  a  good  time." 

"  Really,  I  don't  know  what  I  've  been  thinking 
of  ;  it 's  wholly  against  my  better  judgment.  Dear 
me  !  what  an  idiot "  —  But  here  the  door  to  the 
external  world  clanked  behind  them,  and  only 
pitch  darkness  was  before. 

Eunice  clung  to  Champion's  fingers  with  a 
desperate  grip.  "  Would  you  mind  not  letting  go 
of  me  at  all?  "  she  gasped. 

"  Get  him  to  open  the  door  again  !  "  said  Edwina 
imperatively.  "  I  won't  have  cousin  Eunice  go 
if  she  does  n't  want  to  !  " 

"  She  does  want  to,"  said  Champion  mildly. 
"  I  should  have  to  come  back  with  her  to-morrow 
if  she  does  n't  go  now." 

"  Oh,  you  're  so  good  !  "  said  Eunice,  with  a 
half-sob  born  of  the  war  between  the  spirit  and 
the  flesh. 

"  Of  course  I  am.  How  could  I  be  anything  else 
here  where  the  saints  have  trod  ?  Be  careful  not 
to  drop  your  torch,  Miss  Pritchard,  and  you  will 
be  all  right.  We  have  to  go  single  file  now.  Miss 
Wilder  will  come  behind  you,  and  here  is  my 
hand  when  you  want  it." 


208       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

"  Be  as  brave  as  the  early  Christians,  dear," 
said  Edwina,  seeing  that  they  were  in  for  it. 

"Perhaps  this  wouldn't  seem  so  bad  to  me," 
quavered  Eunice,  "  if  I  knew  that  lions  were  wait- 
ing for  me  if  I  went  upstairs." 

They  moved  on  through  the  narrow,  tortuous 
corridor.  Champion  at  once  began  telling  her 
what  the  guide  was  saying,  and  in  a  short  time 
they  came  out  into  a  square  chapel  where  there 
were  glass-covered  caskets  containing  skeletons. 
One  had  hair  flowing  down  to  its  bony  shoulders. 
The  guide,  who  had  been  chattering  with  an  unin- 
terrupted flow  of  spirits,  waved  his  torch  about  to 
exhibit  the  shelf-like  graves  in  the  walls,  then  let 
the  light  rest  upon  this  grinning  face.  Catching 
Edwina's  eye,  he  glanced  down  at  the  ancient 
skeleton  and  shook  his  head  with  a  deep  sigh  over 
the  dusty  tresses. 

"  Ah,  la  jeunesse!  la  vanite!"  he  said  pen- 
sively, his  merry  eyes  twinkling. 

Edwina  and  Champion  brought  a  smile  to 
Eunice's  face  by  translating  and  enlarging  upon 
the  irrepressible  monk's  comments.  Miss  Pritch- 
ard's  color  came  back,  and  by  following  close 
upon  the  young  man's  heels  she  took  the  next 
winding  corridor  with  rising  courage,  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  the  path  was  full  of  humps  and  hol- 
lows over  which  one  must  stumble  blindly,  torches 
merely  disclosing  the  wall  of  graves  on  right  and 
left.  " 

The  guide  was  not  always  flippant.     He  indi" 


THE  CATACOMBS  209 

cated  the  fish  and  other  ancient  symbols  rudely 
graven  in  the  rock,  and  referred  dramatically  to 
those  faithful  ones  whom  persecution  and  martyr- 
dom could  not  force  to  waver. 

In  the  chapel  of  St.  Cecilia  Miss  Pritchard 
quite  forgot  her  tremors,  even  forgot  Edwina  and 
Champion,  and  these  two  were  left  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  little  group  who  were  throwing  their 
torchlights  on  the  recumbent  statue  of  the  martyr 
in  her  pathetic  attitude  of  abandon. 

"  How  dreadfully  natural  she  looks,  with  her 
poor  little  hands  clasped  and  her  hair  thrown'  for- 
ward and  hiding  her  face !  "  said  Edwina. 

Champion  looked  not  at  the  statue,  but  at  the 
speaker.  "  You  seem  to  think  of  late  that  all 
naturalness  is  dreadful,"  he  returned. 

The  girl  looked  up  at  him  quickly.  "  What  do 
you  mean  ?  " 

"  You  know  well  enough.  I  thought  we  had 
buried  the  hatchet  in  the  sands  at  Cannes.  Is 
this  Roman  one  brand  new,  or  did  you  dig  up  the 
other  after  I  left?" 

"  Hush !  I  must  hear  what  he  is  saying." 
For  the  musical  voice  of  the  young  monk  was  ris- 
ing and  falling  with  his  theme.  Miss  Pritchard, 
finding  herself  near  a  man  who  understood  and 
explained  to  his  wife,  was  absorbed  in  listening 
and  in  gazing  at  the  slender,  girlish  white  form. 

"  You  need  n't,"  returned  Champion,  "  because 
I  '11  take  you  to  see  the  original  of  the  statue. 
That  is  n't  it ;  but  there  's  another  martyr  in  the 


210       MISS  PBITCHAED'S  WEDDING  TRIP 

Catacombs  I  'd  like  to  have  you  take  some  interest 
in.  Here  I  am "  —  for  Edwina's  glance  was 
sweeping  the  walls. 

"  Oh  —  well  —  you  don't  understand  "  —  added 
the  girl  hurriedly. 

"  Precisely  what  I  complain  of.  I  have  n't  seen 
you  alone  a  minute  since  that  afternoon  on  the 
beach  at  Cannes ;  and  as  I  despair  of  ever  doing 
so  above  ground,  there  's  no  time  like  the  present." 

Edwina  instinctively  moved  her  torch  till  her 
face  was  in  shadow.  Champion  as  promptly  threw 
his  light  upon  it.  There  was  a  frown  and  a  smile 
there. 

"  If  you  only  knew  cousin  Eunice  —  It  is  so 
hard  to  explain." 

«'  Try,  —  just  try.    What  has  she  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  She  's  the  best  woman  in  the  world,  you  know, 
but  she's  a  little  bit  —  jealous"  -  Edwina  hesi- 
tated. 

"  Of  Mr.  Glenn.     Yes,  I  know.     So  am  I." 

"  Has  she  told  you  that  ?  "  The  torch  revealed 
a  sudden  smile.  "  Well,  I  've  learned  —  don't  you 
see,  I  've  learned  "  — 

"  Well,  what  ?  " 

"  Wisdom.  She  does  n't  like  men  at  all,  any- 
way." 

"  Come  now,  Miss  Wilder !  I  flatter  myself  she 
has  a  soft  spot  for  me." 

"  But  there  's  only  one  reason  for  that." 

"  Oh,  I  'm  not  so  vain  as  to  suppose  there  are 
more.  I  'in  not  even  sure  what  that  one  is." 


THE  CATACOMBS  211 

"Simple  enough.  She  likes  you  because  she 
believes  I  do  not." 

Champion  made  earnest  use  of  his  torch. 

"And  you  — what?     Then  is  that "- 

"  Ned !  Mr.  Champion  !  Where  have  you 
gone?  "  For  they  had  fallen  back  insensibly. 

"  Right  here,  cousin  Eunice,"  said  Edwina, 
hastening  to  meet  her. 

"  For  a  second  I  did  n't  know  but  you  were 
lost ! "  ejaculated  Miss  Pritchard  in  frantic  ac- 
cents, seizing  her. 

"  No,  no,"  said  Champion,  "  only  we  are  so  tall 
we  could  easily  see  over  the  heads  of  the  others ; 
so  we  stood  back  a  little." 

"  Don't  you  do  it  again !  "  said  Eunice. 

"  Certainly  not,  certainly  not,"  responded  the 
young  man  with  such  alacrity  that  Edwina  need 
say  nothing. 

"  I  don't  altogether  understand,"  he  said  to  her 
very  low. 

"Then  you're  a  bit  stupid,"  she  answered,  still 
lower  ;  but  he  caught  the  words  and  the  fleeting, 
ravishing  smile  that  accompanied  them. 

They  moved  on  in  the  small  procession  ;  but 
what  were  the  hills  and  hollows,  the  paintings,  the 
scrawls,  the  musty  air,  and  the  legends  of  this  his- 
toric labyrinth  of  death  to  those  whose  life  was  just 
beginning  to  blossom  ? 

The  fun-loving  monk  chattered  away,  undeterred 
by  the  gruesome  surroundings.  Once  he  held  his 
torch  toward  pencilings  on  the  wall  where  certain 
inane  tourists  had  written  their  names. 


212       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  Inscriptions  modernes"  he  explained. 

A  number  of  the  party  were  laughing  at  his 
comments  by  the  time  the  door  was  reached  leading 
again  to  the  upper  world.  He  flung  it  open  and 
revealed  a  long  flight  of  steps  and  the  blessed  light 
of  day. 

"  It  is  something  of  a  penitence  to  climb  them 
any  way,"  said  the  merry  soul.  "  You  are  all  good 
people.  I  will  not  make  you  climb  them  on  your 
knees."  They  laughed  again.  It  was  easy  to 
laugh,  freed  from  the  long  constraint  of  burrowing 
like  moles  through  the  narrow,  earthy  corridors. 
The  young  monk  flushed  as  his  eyes  met  Edwina's 
happy  ones. 

"  I  bad  man,"  he  said  in  English  with  a  depre- 
cating air,  "but  good  —  very  good,"  he  added 
earnestly. 

"  How  do  you  know  your  way  about  under  there?" 
asked  the  girl  in  French,  preceiving  that  they  had 
emerged  at  a  point  remote  from  their  entering- 
place. 

"  Do  you  know  Boston  ?"  he  answered  simply. 

He  had  reason  to  be  a  jolly  young  monk  when 
he  looked  at  the  fee  one  of  the  Americans  had  be- 
stowed on  him.  Champion  would  have  delved 
much  deeper  into  Mother  Earth  to  have  found  the 
gold  mine  he  had  discovered  in  Cecilia's  tomb. 
Before  their  ship  had  sighted  England  he  had 
known  that  if  she  were  to  be  won,  Edwina  Wilder 
was  the  woman  he  should  marry,  and  each  meeting 
with  her  since  had  but  heightened  this  determina- 
tion. 


THE  CATACOMBS  213 

His  thoughts  had  been  busy  during  the  last  por- 
tion of  their  pilgrimage.  If,  as  she  implied,  she 
had  taken  the  trouble  to  act,  it  seemed  to  indicate 
an  interest  in  himself  not  compatible  with  disturb- 
ing rumors  concerning  the  invisible  Glenn  who  had 
haunted  two  long  nights.  In  the  revulsion  of  feel- 
ing, the  sunshine,  and  the  long  drive  home,  there 
was  an  undercurrent  of  excitement  in  Champion's 
volubility  which  caused  Eunice  to  regard  him  with 
doubtful  and  surprised  scrutiny. 

"  Did  you  notice  anything  queer  about  Mr. 
Champion  coming  home  ?  "  she  asked  Edwina  after 
they  had  bade  him  good-by. 

"  I  never  heard  him  talk  so  well,"  replied  the 
girl  coolly. 

"  I  don't  know."  Miss  Pritchard  looked 
thoughtful  as  she  took  off  her  bonnet.  "  I  don't 
like  to  suspect  such  a  thing  of  him,  but  he  acted 
so  different  coming  home  from  what  he  did  going, 
I  could  n't  help  thinking  he  might  possibly  have 
taken  something — well,  something  intoxicating, 
down  there  in  the  dark  !  " 

Edwina  bowed  her  head  over  an  obstinate  glove- 
button. 

"  He  might  have  felt  queer  or  faint,  you 
know,"  went  on  Eunice.  "  I  don't  think  even  a 
big,  strong  man  need  be  ashamed  of  getting  such 
feelings  in  such  a  place.  It  is  n't  exactly  being 
scared,  —  you  can't  call  it  that." 

"  I  won't,"  returned  Edwina  demurely.  "  What- 
ever the  sensation  was,  I  'm  sure  if  Mr.  Champion 


214       MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING   TRIP 

had  it,  it  was  a  highly  honorable  one,  and  very 
much  to  his  credit ;  and  if  he  used  a  pocket  flask 
it  was  only  what  any  man  of  spirit  ought  to  have 
done  under  the  circumstances  "  — 

"  Ned  Wilder,  you  don't  think  he  did  !  " 

"  No,  it 's  you  who  think  he  did." 

"  But  did  n't  you  notice  the  change  in  him  ? 
Come  now  —  without  joking." 

"  Yes  ;  a  change  decidedly  for  the  better.  I 
should  recommend  him  the  same  tonic  daily." 

"  How  uncharitable  we  are  to  say  such  things  !  " 
exclaimed  Eunice  suddenly.  "  As  if  a  man's  mood 
could  n't  alter  without  —  but  really  it  was  a  new 
mood;  he  laughed  so  easily,  and  any  thought  of 
fictitious  happiness  is  so  painful !  " 

"  It  certainly  is,"  responded  Edwina. 

She  had  some  fear  lest  Champion  might  now 
take  up  his  abiding-place  at  their  pension,  it  being 
his  customary  home  in  Rome ;  but  he  did  not.  It 
was  a  favorite  with  Germans,  of  whom  there  were 
many  in  the  house,  the  large-boned,  robust- voiced 
women  making  the  Americans  feel  physically  feeble 
and  insignificant.  Occasionally  these  Germans 
spoke  some  English. 

There  were  not  lacking  the  Americans  whose 
favorite  subject  of  conversation  in  a  foi'eign  land 
is  the  superior  merit  of  their  home  institutions.  A 
man  from  Chicago  sat  opposite  Edwina  at  table, 
and  his  neighbor  was  a  charming  white-haired 
German  baroness  who  made  courteous  and  great 
effort  to  follow  his  speech  and  to  respond  properly. 


THE  CATACOMBS  215 

One  day  he  was  enlarging  upon  the  attractions  of 
his  native  city,  and  naturally  became  voluble  upon 
so  seductive  a  topic.  As  a  culmination  of  the  con- 
veniences and  advantages  which  he  had  been  cel- 
ebrating, he  explained  in  detail  the  system  of  street 
numbering  employed  in  the  city  by  the  lake. 

His  neighbor  had  listened  with  the  closest  at- 
tention, and  when  he  at  last  came  to  a  triumphant 
pause  and  looked  into  her  eyes  with  a  challenge, 
she  waited  a  moment  and  then  responded  sympa- 
thetically, in  most  polite  but  broken  English  :  — 

"  It  must  be  very  annoying  to  live  in  Chicago  !  " 

The  American  hesitated,  gasped  —  and  decided 
to  go  on  with  his  dinner. 

Holy  Week  had  come,  and  Miss  Pritchard,  to 
whom  every  tomb  in  St.  Peter's  had  become  as 
familiar  as  the  revered  black  bronze  of  the  saint, 
and  the  ninety-five  golden  lamps  ever  burning  about 
his  resting  place,  now  made  nearly  daily  pilgrim- 
ages thither.  Hope  sprang  eternal  in  her  breast 
that  the  Pope  might  unexpectedly  honor  one  of 
these  services  with  his  presence.  Notices  and  ru- 
mors of  his  receptions  tantalized  her. 

On  Holy  Thursday  Eunice  and  Edwina  took 
their  camp-stools  in  the  cab  with  them  right  after 
lunch  and  visited  an  old  villa  garden  until  it  was 
time  for  service.  Eunice  temporarily  forgot  the 
Pope  in  admiration  of  box  and  laurel  hedges  as 
high  as  her  head,  and  two  yards  in  thickness.  Red 
and  white  camellias  and  azaleas  were  blossoming 
luxuriantly,  and  climbing  vines  of  heliotrope  clung 


216       MISS  PRITCHARD'S  WEDDING  TRIP 

to  the  walls.  Flights  of  stone  steps  conducted 
beside  dried  cascades  from  terrace  to  terrace,  and 
statues  dark  with  age  guarded  ever-young  hedges 
of  roses  in  full  bloom.  Everywhere  in  the  land- 
scape stood  the  sombre  cypresses  which  had  gained 
such  beauty  in  the  sight  of  these  strangers,  their 
slender  spires  delicately  and  permanently  bent  by 
vanished  winds.  Eunice  went  humming  to  herself 
through  the  still  old  garden,  Edwina  following  ab- 
sorbed in  thoughts  which  in  these  days  colored  any 
environment  and  made  it  lovely.  At  last  Miss 
Pritchard  started  with  recollection. 

"  I  hope  you  're  watching  the  time,  Ned." 

"  Any  time  now  we  might  go." 

"  Well,  I  should  n't  like  to  miss  any  of  it." 

Eunice's  enthusiasm  lasted  even  under  the  strain 
of  that  long  afternoon.  It  was  their  first  expe- 
rience of  a  crowd  in  St.  Peter's.  The  service 
consisted  of  the  Tenebre,  the  Miserere,  and  the 
washing  of  the  High  Altar.  It  began  at  half-past 
four,  and  a  multitude  gathered  in  the  vast  edifice. 

"  I  never  before  knew  what  was  meant  by  the 
expression,  '  the  tide  of  humanity,'  "  said  Edwina. 

A  sound  precisely  like  the  surge  of  the  sea  went 
up  from  the  crowd  and  continued  in  rhythmic 
measure  during  the  long  hours  that  they  sat  on 
their  backless  camp-stools  and  listened  to  the  mo- 
notonous chant,  and  the  impressive  Miserere. 

Daylight  faded,  and  under  the  gathering  shadows 
the  sea  of  humanity  surged  on.  Darkness  fell, 
torches  glimmered  here  and  there  throughout  the 


THE  CATACOMBS  217 

church.  At  last  a  procession  of  cardinals  and 
canons,  each  bearing  a  lighted  candle,  slowly 
marched  to  the  altar  under  the  dome,  poured  oil 
and  wine  upon  it,  and  wiped  it  off  in  token  of 
humility. 

Next  was  to  come  the  rare  showing  of  the  relics 
in  St.  Veronica's  balcony,  above  the  colossal  statue 
of  the  saint  running  to  show  the  towel  which  bears 
the  imprint  of  the  Saviour's  face.  This  balcony  was 
lighted  with  tall  candles,  making  a  luminous  spot 
in  the  vast  dark.  Suddenly  there  came  a  sharp 
noise  like  what  might  be  produced  by  a  huge 
watchman's  rattle,  and  all  eyes  were  raised.  A 
prelate  came  out  upon  the  balcony  bearing  the 
spear-point  that  pierced  Jesus'  side.  It  was  a 
marvel  how  the  human  sea  stopped  surging  and 
absolute  silence  fell  upon  the  thousands  of  wor- 
shipers. Nearly  all  the  crowd  sank  upon  their 
knees. 

The  priest  retired.  After  a  minute,  again 
sounded  the  mysterious,  sharp  warning,  and  he  re- 
appeared with  a  piece  of  the  cross.  A  third  time, 
and  it  was  Veronica's  towel.  In  the  hush  and 
darkness  the  priest's  robed  figure  suspended  in 
a  bright  halo,  and  holding  forth  the  glittering 
framed  objects,  struck  an  awe  to  that  multitude 
of  kneeling  worshipers  which  all  might  feel.  At 
last  the  light  vanished,  the  spell  was  broken,  and 
hastily  the  crowd  arose  and  poured  away  invisibly 
across  the  marble  floor. 

Eunice  held  Edwina  tightly.     "  Don't  lose  me, 


218       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Ned.  It 's  nearly  as  bad  as  the  Catacombs.  I 
can't  see  my  hand  before  me." 

Slowly  they  pressed  their  way  out,  and  the  first 
thing  they  observed  on  reaching  the  fresh  air  was 
that  umbrellas  had  sprung  mushroom-like  all  over 
the  piazza.  The  fountains  gleamed  ghostly-white 
through  the  murky  air. 

"  We  '11  never  get  a  cab  in  the  world,  Ned  !  " 
cried  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Nor  a  car  for  an  hour  at  least,"  replied  her 
companion.  "  Why,  I  should  think  that  was  —  it 
is  Mr.  Champion  standing  there  by  that  pillar." 

"  Let 's  go  to  him  !  "  Eunice  craned  her  neck 
in  all  directions  to  recognize  her  friend  in  need,  in 
order  not  to  be  dependent  upon  Edwina's  reluctant 
guidance.  "  I  can't  see  him.  Don't  be  foolish, 
Ned.  It 's  after  eight  o'clock,  and  I  'm  tired  and 
famished.  He  '11  help  us,  I  'm  sure,  otherwise  I 
don't  see  how  we  're  ever  going  to  get  home." 

"What  can  he  do?" 

"  I  don't  know,  but  he  can  always  do  something. 
Oh,  there  he  is  !  I  see  him  !  " 

"  Well,  don't  let  go  of  me  !  "  exclaimed  Edwina, 
suppressing  a  laugh. 

"  Hurry,  then.  We  must  catch  him  before  he 
goes ! " 

The  girl  well  knew  he  would  not  go  before  the 
last  woman  had  descended  that  broad  sweep  of 
steps,  on  the  length  and  breadth  of  which  he  was 
keeping  close  watch  ;  but  she  yielded  to  Miss 
Pritchard's  nervous  pulling,  and  approached  the 
tall  figure  next  the  pillar. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THE  COLOSSEUM 

"  MR.  CHAMPION  !  "  cried  Eunice  eagerly. 

He  turned,  his  eyes  resting  on  Edwina  with  a 
look  she  feared  her  cousin  would  observe. 

"  If  you  had  been  hunting  for  us,  it  would  have 
been  worse  than  the  search  for  the  needle  in  the 
hay-mow,"  went  on  Miss  Pritchard  joyously. 

"  I  was,  in  a  way.  I  thought  it  likely  you  would 
be  here,  and  finding  it  raining,  I  saw  you  would 
have  trouble  to  get  home.  I  found  they  were  n't 
letting  people  come  out  by  the  Holy  Door,  so  that 
narrowed  the  exit,  and  gave  me  some  hope  of  see- 
ing you  in  the  jam." 

"  And  instead  we  saw  you.  How  easily  we 
might  have  missed  each  other  !  " 

"  Yes,  it  was  the  hundredth  chance,  and  I  won." 

"  You  're  very  good  !  "  Eunice  cast  her  glance 
down  to  the  piazza,  where  whips  were  cracking  and 
wheels  rolling,  while  the  usual  order  of  things  was 
reversed,  most  of  the  would-be  passengers  search- 
ing vainly  for  cabs  and  the  successful  applicants 
paying  double  fare. 

"  I  suppose  it 's  going  to  be  hard  to  get  a  car- 
riage," she  remarked,  wondering  why  Champion 
was  so  deliberate. 


220       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  No,  I  have  one  waiting.  Are  you  ready  ?  Can 
you  make  this  umbrella  do  for  you  both,  Miss 
Wilder?" 

They  moved  down  the  glistening  steps  to  a  wait- 
ing cab  and  entered  it. 

"  I  've  good  news  for  you,  Miss  Pritchard," 
said  the  young  man  as  the  horse  started. 

"  The  Pope  !  " 

"  Yes ;  I  shall  have  tickets  for  the  Friday  after 
Easter  at  St.  Peter's." 

"  How  can  I  thank  you  enough  !  Edwina,  how 
can  we  thank  him  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  shall  get  my  reward,  never  fear.  Some- 
time I  shall  be  asking  a  favor  of  you,  perhaps,  Miss 
Pritchard." 

"  I  only  wish  you  would,"  she  returned  heartily. 
"  I  'm  sure  we  owe  you  a  great  deal ;  and  Edwina 
feels  it  too,  Mr.  Champion,  though  she  never  says 
very  much." 

Here  followed  a  coercive  pressure  of  her  child's 
arm  in  the  darkness. 

"  If  you  are  quite  sure  she  does,"  said  Cham- 
pion after  a  moment's  silence,  "  then  I  shall  not 
scruple  to  ask  a  favor  of  her  too." 

At  that  such  an  imperative  nudge  assailed  Ed- 
wina that  she  found  her  voice.  "  All  this  sounds 
very  commercial,"  she  said.  "  This  promising  in 
the  dark  is  dangerous,  don't  you  think,  cousin 
Eunice  ?  " 

"  She 's  joking,  Mr.  Champion,  as  usual.  I 
can't  get  her  to  be  serious.  She  always  was 


THE  COLOSSEUM  2*21 

naughty  when  she  was  hungry,  anyway.  I  can't 
tell  you  the  number  of  times  I  punished  that  child 
before  I  found  out  that  she  needed  bread  and  milk 
instead  of  a  dark  closet." 

Her  companions  both  laughed,  and  the  sound 
relieved  the  tension  of  Miss  Pritchard's  brow.  "  1 
do  think  he  has  the  most  amiable,  forgiving  dis- 
position I  ever  met,"  she  thought ;  and  to  her  fur- 
ther relief,  Edwina  spoke  again. 

"  I  'm  really  very  much  pleased  that  you  could 
get  the  tickets,  Mr.  Champion.  Cousin  Eunice 
had  so  set  her  heart  on  it,  and  I  could  n't  find  out 
any  definite  way  of  procuring  them." 

"  There,  is  n't  that  gracious,  Miss  Pritchard  ?  " 
asked  the  young  man.  "  One  would  believe  that 
Miss  Edwina  had  found  the  bread  and  milk.  By 
the  way,  you  would  get  scarcely  more  than  that 
at  the  pension  by  the  time  you  reached  home. 
We  'd  better  find  something  to  eat  on  the  way." 

"  I  think  so,"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  "  if  you  will 
be  my  guest." 

"  But  I  like  to  be  host." 

"  So  do  I.  Be  careful !  I  don't  stand  opposi- 
tion myself  very  well  when  I  'm  hungry." 

Among  the  pleasantest  occurrences  in  her  life 
Edwina  always  afterward  remembered  the  cosy 
supper  in  that  private  room,  although  she  ate  very 
little  of  it.  Miss  Pritchard  talked  absorbedly  of 
her  Roman  interests,  and  Edwina  and  Champion 
listened  enough  to  be  able  to  answer,  while  they 
were  keenly  conscious  of  the  delight  of  passing 


222       MISS  PBITCHAEWS   WEDDING   TRIP 

one  another  the  bread  or  the  salt,  and  occasionally 
each  caught  the  light  in  the  other's  eyes.  Sud- 
denly Miss  Pritchard  diverged  from  commenting 
on  the  relics  they  had  been  seeing  displayed,  to 
gaze  pensively  into  her  wineglass,  where  the  Asti 
spumente  was  bubbling. 

"  What  would  Miranda  say  if  she  knew  that  I 
was  used  to  drinking  wine,  —  used  to  it !  This," 
sipping  it  judicially,  "is  very  good,  like  sparkling 
cider,  only  grape-y  instead  of  apple-y.  It  tastes 
real  innocent,  I  think,  Mr.  Champion,  and  very, 
very  nice;  but  we  never  drink  wine  at  home  — 
never — and  never  shall.  When  you  come  to  see 
us  you  will  get  cold  water  only." 

"  That 's  all  right  so  long  as  you  don't  pour  any 
of  it  on  our  friendship  ;  but  water  is  a  little  thin 
for  drinking  toasts.  Now  that  we  are  together, 
perhaps  I  had  better  utilize  the  opportunity  to  get 
your  good  wishes.  Here  —  and  let  us  drink  it 
standing  —  I  ask  you  both  to  drink  to  my  future 
wife." 

Eunice  rose,  gazing  at  her  friend  with  a  new 
interest.  His  face  was  very  serious,  hers  beaming 
with  friendly  surprise.  "  What !  are  you  going  to 
be  married  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so,  Miss  Pritchard." 

"  Stand  up,  Ned,"  warningly,  for  the  girl  lin- 
gered in  her  chair.  "  Stand  up,  dear." 

"  She  has  n't  the  excuse  of  hunger  now  for  being 
naughty,  has  she?"  said  Champion,  and  after  an- 
other second's  pause,  Edwina  rose. 


THE  COLOSSEUM  223 

"  Be  careful,  Mr.  Champion,"  she  said  gravely. 
"  You  must  never  let  your  — your  fiancee  meet  my 
cousin.  She  would  frighten  her  away  from  mar- 
riage. She  does  not  believe  in  men." 

Eunice  regarded  her  contrary  child  with  sur- 
prise and  chagrin.  "  It  is  uncivil  of  you  to  talk 
so  at  this  time,  my  dear,"  she  said  gently.  "I  am 
a  very  ignorant  woman  about  many  things,  and 
there  are  exceptions  to  every  rule." 

"  You  promised  to  tell  me  when  you  met  an  ex- 
ception." 

This  obstinate  indelicacy  covered  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  with  confusion.  Here  was  the  last  proof 
needed  of  her  child's  arrogant  attitude  toward 
Champion. 

"  I  am  very  glad  for  the  young  lady,"  she  said 
earnestly,  recovering  herself  and  bowing  toward 
him,  "  that  she  has  won  a  man  who,  whatever 
faults  he  may  have,  has  proven  himself  the  soul 
of  thoughtful  kindness  to  strangers  in  a  strange 
land." 

Champion  was  reading  Edwina's  face  eagerly. 
It  looked  cool  and  impassive.  The  pretty  lips 
were  set  in  a  proud  curve.  The  eyelids  no  longer 
lifted  for  him.  He  saw  that  he  must  go  no  fur- 
ther, —  perhaps  in  his  rush  of  happiness  had  gone 
too  far. 

"  I  thank  you,  Miss  Pritchard,"  he  said.  "  We 
drink  to  her  then." 

Eunice  turned  toward  Edwina.  "  To  the  health, 
happiness,  and  life-long  prosperity  of  you  both," 
she  said. 


224       MISS  PEITCHAED'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

The  girl  heeded  the  commanding  note  in  her 
cousin's  voice.  She  touched  her  glass  to  her  lips 
and  sat  down  quickly,  as  pale  as  she  had  been 
rosy. 

When  they  reached  home  and  their  escort  had 
said  good-night,  Miss  Pritchard  put  her  arms 
around  her  child  in  an  unusual  caress.  "  You  act 
as  if  you  were  tired  out,  Ned.  We  've  been  doing 
too  much,  I  'in  afraid.  You  are  n't  tired  of  Rome, 
are  you  ?  " 

Edwina  returned  the  embrace,  and  nestled  her 
cheek  against  her  companion's  silky  hair.  "  I 
love  Rome.  I  could  never  grow  tired  of  it,"  she 
said  low  and  fervently. 

"  Oh,  well,  then,"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  relieved. 

"  You  need  n't  stop  loving  me  just  on  that  ac- 
count," said  Edwina,  holding  the  other's  relaxing 
arms. 

"I  couldn't  do  that,  though  yon  do  exasperate 
me  beyond  words  to  express,  Ned."  Eunice  spoke 
reproachfully  while  she  patted  the  girl's  shoulder. 
"Not  a  word  of  congratulation  or  sympathy  to 
that  good,  kind  young  man  at  such  a  time.  Think 
of  throwing  a  wet  blanket  on  him  when  he  con- 
fided in  us  !  How  could  you,  dear  ?  " 

"  Is  n't  that  the  way  you  have  brought  me  up  ?  " 
came  the  muffled  inquiry  close  to  Eunice's  ear. 
"  I  think  I  did  well  not  to  tell  him  that  he  was  a 
monster  who  was  going  to  make  her  wretched,  and 
that  she  was  totally  unreasonable  to  love  him." 

"  He   may  turn    out  a  very  unusual    husband. 


THE  COLOSSEUM  225 

I  'm  sure  we  have  every  reason  to  give  him  the 
benefit  of  the  doubt ;  and  the  point  I  make  is  that 
it  is  none  of  our  business  any  way,  and  has  nothing 
to  do  with  us,  and  that  he  had  a  right  to  expect 
our  courtesy  and  interest.  Two  or  three  times, 
Edwina,  you  have  surprised  me  by  what  can't 
be  termed  anything  milder  than  rudeness  to  Mr. 
Champion,  and  I  have  almost  a  mind  to  talk  with 
your  teachers  when  I  get  home  and  tell  them  that 
I  'm  dissatisfied  with  their  training.  It  is  n't  all 
my  fault." 

Edwina  stood  up  and  began  to  take  out  her 
hairpins.  "  I  '11  try  to  do  better,"  she  said  meekly. 

"  You  went  back  and  said  something  to  him  just 
as  we  parted  to-night.  I  meant  to  ask  you  what  it 
was." 

"Oh  —  that?"  said  the  girl  with  some  embar- 
rassment. "  I  just  —  I  only  asked  him  not  to  — 
not  to  call  —  very  often." 

Miss  Pritchard  plumped  down  on  the  side  of 
the  bed  and  stared  at  her  child  as  if  hopeless  of 
doing  the  subject  justice.  "  I  suppose  you  did  n't 
say  exactly  that,  Ned,"  she  appealed  at  last  gently. 
"  I  suppose  you  expressed  a  fear  that  he  might  find 
us  away." 

"I — I  might  have  put  it  that  way,"  said  Ed- 
wina with  an  unmistakably  guilty  manner,  "  but  I 
didn't.  I  just  said — that.  You  know,  cousin 
Eunice,  we  have  so  much  still  planned  to  do,  and 
shall  be  so  busy." 

"  Right  after  he  had  got  the  promise  of  those 


226       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

tickets  !  "  said  Eunice,  looking  about  as  if  calling 
upon  the  furniture  to  witness  her  despair.  "  No 
one  would  stand  that,  not  even  Mr.  Champion. 
Very  well,  Edwina  Wilder,  we  shall  receive  a  note 
from  him  to-morrow  withdrawing  about  the  tickets, 
—  and  I  shan't  blame  him,  remember.  He  is 
perfectly  justified  in  anything  he  may  do." 

When  Miss  Pritchard  pronounced  her  full 
name,  Edwina  knew  the  stress  of  feeling  indi- 
cated. "  Really,  I  don't  think  he  is  offended," 
she  remarked  earnestly.  "  He  knows  how  absorb- 
ing sightseeing  is." 

"  Your  time  is  n't  so  valuable  when  it  comes  to 
reading  Mr.  Glenn's  letters,"  said  Miss  Pritchard 
bitterly,  "  and  writing  him,  I  don't  know  how 
many  pages.  There  's  plenty  of  time,  then." 

Edwina  repressed  a  smile  at  the  small  ruffled 
individual  on  the  bed,  and  shook  her  thick  blonde 
hair  about  her  face.  "  Now  stop  scolding  me," 
she  said  coaxingly,  "  until  you  find  out  whether 
your  paragon  has  been  hurt  or  not." 

"  If  he  is  n't,  it  will  be  only  because  his  head  is 
so  full  of  his  sweetheart  that  anything  any  one  else 
may  say  falls  flat." 

"  Do  you  know,  cousin  Eunice,  I  think  that  is 
the  precise  state  of  the  case,"  said  the  girl  gently. 

Perhaps  the  love  of  a  lover  cannot  be  killed  out 
in  the  most  pessimistic  breast.  At  all  events,  Miss 
Pritchard's  expression  changed  to  one  of  remi- 
niscent interest. 

"  He  took   me  greatly  by  surprise,  somehow," 


THE  COLOSSEUM  227 

she  said.  "  I  don't  know  why  he  should  n't  be  in 
love,  I  'm  sure  ;  but  I  suppose  I  don't  think  about 
those  things.  Do  you  mean  you  had  suspected  it 
before  to-day  ?  " 

Edwina  nodded  her  head  slowly. 

"When?     Why?"  curiously. 

"  Oh,  some  of  those  days  at  Cannes.  I  thought 
I  saw  signs." 

"  Well,  that  was  clever  of  you,"  said  Eunice 
admiringly  ;  but  her  brow  clouded.  "  All  the  more 
reason  why  you  should  have  been  prepared  and 
responsive  to-day." 

"  You  must  alter  your  training,  then,"  said 
Edwina,  smiling  behind  the  veil  of  hair  she  was 
brushing.  "  As  the  twig  is  bent,  the  tree  inclines, 
you  know.  I  'm  afraid  it  is  your  doing,  and  not 
my  teachers'." 

These  two  Americans  had  had  expectations  that 
Easter  in  Holy  Week  of  the  Jubilee  year  at  St. 
Peter's  would  be  a  marvelous  celebration.  They 
and  those  useful  companions,  the  camp-stools,  were 
in  the  church  that  morning  before  nine  o'clock,  and 
they  took  up  their  situation  near  the  altar.  The 
crowd  was  very  large,  and  the  tide  ebbed  and  flowed 
with  the  same  surging  sound  as  on  the  previous 
Thursday.  Cardinal  Rampolla,  assisted  by  a  large 
number  of  priests,  conducted  the  elaborate  service, 
about  which  there  was  much  pomp  and  ceremony. 
The  music  was  interesting ;  but  in  all  that  huge 
church  not  one  flower  bloomed,  and  spite  of  the 
red  cloth  hangings  upon  the  colossal  pillars,  the 


228       MISS  PRITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

effect  was  of  gloom,  as  if  the  thought  had  not  been 
able  to  get  past  the  crucifixion. 

Miss  Pritchard  whispered  to  Edwina  in  the 
midst  of  the  service  :  "  There  is  n't  a  little  village 
church  in  Massachusetts  where  it  would  n't  seem 
more  like  Easter  than  this  !  " 

It  remained  to  be  seen  if  the  long-anticipated 
view  of  Leo  XIII.  were  going  to  prove  another 
disappointment. 

Howard  Champion  again  vindicated  his  superior- 
ity by  failing  to  take  offense  at  Edwina's  frank- 
ness. Right  after  dinner  a  note  from  him  arrived 
inclosing  the  coveted  tickets.  Miss  Pritchard, 
upon  opening  and  reading  it,  enlarged,  greatly  to 
the  girl's  edification,  upon  the  nobility  of  nature, 
the  broad  mind,  the  admirably  impersonal  outlook 
and  lack  of  pettiness  which  this  action  proved. 

"  Although  I  must  say,  Ned,  when  I  was  your 
age,  if  a  young  man  like  that  had  ignored  every- 
thing I  did  and  said  as  Mr.  Champion  does  you, 
it  would  have  piqued  me  some,"  she  added. 

Edwina  folded  her  hands  and  regarded  her 
cousin,  smiling.  "  You  see,  then,"  she  returned, 
"  that  he  is  not  the  only  broad-minded,  lofty  nature 
of  your  acquaintance,  for  I  am  not  at  all  disturbed. 
Praise  me  a  little  while  for  a  change." 

"  Indeed  I  won't,"  said  Eunice,  looking  fondly 
at  the  pieces  of  stamped  paper,  "  when  I  think  you 
put  these  in  peril !  " 

"  I  am  only  pleased  that  he  has  obeyed  me  so 
well  in  staying  away,"  remarked  the  girl.  "  Plow- 


THE  COLOSSEUM  229 

ever,  if  he  had  withdrawn  about  the  tickets,  you 
would  have  seen  me  eat  humble  pie.  I  would  n't 
have  such  a  crime  as  that  on  my  conscience  for  any 
consideration  !  I  should  have  written  him  to  come 
at  once ;  to  call  three  times  a  day  if  it  suited  him." 

"  As  if  that  would  have  brought  him  around  !  " 
said  Miss  Pritchard  scornfully.  "  He  would  n't 
have  come  at  all !  " 

"  Then  I  should  have  gone  to  him,"  said  Edwina, 
her  eyes  dancing.  "  We  would  have  enacted  a 
scene  from  grand  opera.  I  should  have  worn  a 
long  train  and  a  heavy  veil,  and  you  would  have 
been  my  duenna.  We  should  have  hunted  him 
down  in  his  hotel,  and  I  should  have  pleaded  and 
cried  and  seized  his  hand  "  — 

"  I  'd  like  to  see  you  seizing  Mr.  Champion's 
hand  !  "  ejaculated  Eunice  dryly. 

"  Would  you  really?  I  might  if  I  were  properly 
urged." 

"  Here,  do  something  with  these  flowers,  Ned," 
for  hyacinths  and  violets  had  accompanied  the 
note.  "  I  do  think  he  was  too  sweet  to  send  them. 
I  suppose  he  was  thinking  of  that  girl,  and  wish- 
ing he  could  send  them  to  her." 

"  Not  a  doubt  of  it,"  agreed  Edwina. 

"  If  you  had  n't  embarrassed  me  so  that  night, 
I  should  have  asked  him  who  she  was.  He  would 
have  told,  in  the  mood  he  was  then  !  " 

"  Ah,  we  're  going  back  to  that  night,  are  we  ? 
Let  us  dispose  of  these  flowers  by  wearing  them. 
Do  you  think  you  could  spare  me  a  few  ?  " 


230       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

The  girl  pinned  the  hyacinths  in  the  front  of 
her  cousin's  gown. 

"  They  are  as  much  yours  as  mine,  perhaps," 
said  Eunice.  "  He  is  quite  capable  of  it." 

"  Then  if  you  think  so,  I  will  wear  his  lordship's 
violets." 

Miss  Pritchard  watched  the  little  satisfied  smile 
with  which  the  girl  arranged  the  purple  fragrance 
on  her  bosom,  and  commented  silently :  "  If  she 
is  n't  the  oddest  child  that  ever  breathed  !  I  de- 
clare, nobody  could  get  me  to  put  those  on  in  her 
place.  How  can  she  be  sure  he  won't  come  in  ? 
I  'd  be  too  proud  for  that  if  I  'd  acted  the  way  she 
has." 

"  Well,  the  afternoon  is  perfect,"  said  Edwina 
when  the  flowers  were  satisfactorily  arranged. 
"  Let  us  go  over  to  the  Borghese  Gardens.  The 
Queen  always  drives  there  on  Easter,  I  hear." 

"  I  never  come  into  these  grounds  without  think- 
ing of  Ariadne,"  said  Edwina,  after  they  had  paid 
their  entrance  fee  and  were  strolling  in  the  grand 
avenues  of  the  old  garden. 

"  My  head  is  full  of  '  The  Marble  Faun '  and 
'Ariadne'  both,  all  the  time,"  returned  Miss 
Pritchard,  her  arm  through  her  child's ;  "  and 
what  with  my  own  thoughts  and  imaginings,  and 
so  much  picturesqueness,  I  sometimes  feel  as  if  I 
hadn't  good  sense  any  more." 

"  Precisely  my  sensations,"  remarked  Edwina. 

"  Are  n't  we  having  a  good  time  —  just  we  two 
alone  !  "  burst  forth  Eunice,  sighing  in  one  of  the 


THE  COLOSSEUM  231 

ecstasies  of  satisfaction  to  which  she  sometimes 
rose. 

"  So  you  don't  want  any  one  else.  My  rival 
is  n't  quite  my  equal  ?  "  hazarded  Edwina,  listen- 
ing painfully  for  the  reply  to  her  jest. 

"•  You  silly  child  !  "  Eunice  laughed  and  gave 
the  round  arm  a  squeeze. 

"  Oh,  well,  please  recollect  there  have  been  a 
number  of  occasions  when  I  did  n't  fill  the  void  at 
all." 

"  Men  do  seem  almost  a  necessity  sometimes," 
said  Miss  Pritchard  lightly  ;  "  but  I  lay  awake  a 
good  deal  last  night,  and  I  got  to  thinking  of  one 
thing  after  another,  and  you  'd  laugh  at  me  well, 
Edwina,  if  you  knew  why  two  or  three  tears  wet 
my  pillow." 

"  I  doubt  if  I  could  laugh  at  your  tears,  little 
Mother  Eunice." 

"  My  darling !  "  Miss  Pritchard  gave  the  arm  a 
more  loving  pressure.  "  Is  n't  this  the  most  roman- 
tic place  ?  Just  look  at  the  variety  of  wild  flowers 
—  what  yellows  and  purples  and  reds  !  Let  us  go 
and  sit  among  them." 

They  had  reached  the  old  fountain  where  horses 
rear  from  a  basin,  their  aged  mouths  filled  with 
weeds  and  maidenhair  fern.  The  water  trickling 
amid  mosses  made  pleasant  murmuring,  and  vener- 
able trees  shaded  the  fields  about. 

"  We  will  sit  here  and  watch  for  Margherita," 
said  Edwina,  "  and  you  shall  tell  me  this  waking 
dream  of  yours.  Was  it  romantic  enough  to  fit 
this  scene  ?  " 


232      MISS  PEITCHARVS   WEDDING  TRIP 

"  Oh,  you  '11  laugh  at  me,  as  I  said."  Eunice 
stooped  and  caressed  a  buttercup.  "  But  your  ask- 
ing about  your  rival  and  if  I  was  satisfied  with  us 
two  alone,  brought  it  back  to  me.  Is  n't  it  queer 
how  night  will  bring  thoughts  you  'd  never  have 
in  the  daytime  ?  I  was  thinking  of  Mr.  Champion, 
and  how  kind  he  'd  been,  and  wondering  if  his 
sweetheart  felt  about  him  as  —  well,  as  girls  do 
when  they  believe  everything  to  be  rose-color  ;  and 
I  said  to  myself,  suppose  he  had  happened  to 
please  Edwina,  and  we  had  gone  on  in  ignorance, 
just  as  we  have,  of  any  love-affair,  and  she  had 
set  her  heart  on  him  —  don't  laugh,  Ned."  The 
speaker  looked  up  quickly,  to  find  an  unbroken 
gravity  on  her  companion's  face,  and  its  expression 
seemed  to  encourage  her,  for  she  proceeded  with 
more  confidence.  "  For  they  do  ;  sometimes  girls 
don't  wait  for  any  encouragement  or  persuasion, 
they  just  set  their  hearts  on  some  particular 
man,  and  could  n't  give  a  reason  for  it  to  save 
them.  Well,  I  supposed  the  case,  and  your  never 
having  confided  in  me,  you  know,  and  then  his 
suddenly  telling  us  of  his  engagement  there  as  he 
did  in  the  supper-room  ;  and  I  seemed  to  realize  it, 
and  it  worked  on  me  so,  the  first  thing  I  knew  I 
was  crying.  Was  n't  it  silly  ?  " 

"  That  would  be  dreadful,"  said  Edwina  seri- 
ously. 

"  It 's  like  death.  There  is  n't  anything  else  to 
compare  with  it ;  and  because  it 's  the  worst  thing 
in  the  world,  I  've  always  had  a  horror  lest  it  should 


THE  COLOSSEUM  233 

come  to  you  ;  and  that 's  what  makes  this  day  seem 
heavenly  to  me ;  makes  those  loud  bird-notes  and 
all  this  flowery  grass  seem  like  paradise  ;  to  think 
you  're  right  here  by  me  fancy-free." 

"  But  if  there  had  n't  been  any  one  in  the  way," 
said  Edwina,  "  I  suppose  you  would  have  been  glad 
to  have  me  as  susceptible  in  this  case  as  you 
dreamed." 

Miss  Pritchard  put  her  hand  on  her  child's  lap. 
"  Thank  God,  we  've  been  spared  so  far !  " 

"  Then  you  will  always  want  us  to  be  spared,  for 
I  cannot  hope  you  will  like  any  man  better  than 
Mr.  Champion." 

The  note  of  dejection  in  her  companion's  voice 
made  Eunice  look  at  her  quickly.  "  Ah,  Ned,  you 
are  like  all  the  rest !  You  prefer  to  try  this  ex- 
periment of  marriage  in  spite  of  everything." 

"  Not  in  spite  of  everything,"  returned  the  girl. 
"  Least  of  all  in  spite  of  you.  Remember  my  pro- 
mise. That  subject  is  settled." 

With  painful  clearness  Ralph  Glenn's  face 
beamed  upon  Miss  Pritchard's  mental  vision  as  if 
projected  on  a  screen,  and  she  looked  off  over  the 
flowery  meads  where  the  children  were  dancing, 
during  a  minute  of  silence.  "  We  're  happy  until 
we  go  home  though,  Ned,  are  n't  we  ?  "  she  asked 
at  last,  appealingly. 

"  Indeed,  we  are,"  replied  Edwina  brightly, 
"  until  we  go  home,  and  after  we  go  home,  and 
always.  I  think  by  the  way  the  people  are  gather- 
ing, the  Queen  must  be  expected.  Let  us  stand 


234       MISS  PEITCHAEWS   WELDING   TRIP 

here  right  by  the  road,  for  if  any  one  gets  in  front 
of  you,  you  can't  see." 

They  waited  a  few  minutes,  watching  the  hand- 
some, swarthy  people  in  their  holiday  attire,  and 
the  clipped  poodles  drinking  at  the  fountain  where 
their  woolly  wristers  were  sprayed.  At  last  came 
the  welcome  warning,  "  Ecco  Regina  !  "  and  the 
brilliant  scarlet  liveries  appeared.  The  gay  car- 
riage passed  close  to  the  Americans,  and  the 
queen's  kindly  glance  and  gracious  smile  were 
turned  to  the  right  and  left  as  she  bowed  to  the 
uncovered  little  crowd.  Her  handsome,  vivacious 
face  was  framed  in  a  profusion  of  fluffy  golden 
hair,  upon  which  rested  a  bonnet  of  peai'l  beads. 
Beside  her  sat  her  mother,  and  both  were  chatting 
and  laughing  in  gay  unconsciousness  that  this  was 
the  last  Easter  drive  of  the  well-loved  sovereign. 

That  evening  Edwina  stood  long  on  her  balcony 
watching  a  brilliant  sun  set  behind  the  Villa 
Medici.  It  was  as  if  Rome  were  again  on  fire, 
and  she  watched  the  flame  turn  to  gold  and  fade 
until  the  cypresses  stood  black  against  a  primrose 
sky.  For  a  long  time  she  lingered  there,  wrapped 
in  thought,  unobservant  of  the  change  from  twi- 
light to  moonlight  until  Miss  Pritchard's  voice 
speaking  to  some  one  in  the  room  attracted  her  at- 
tention. The  voice  came  nearer. 

"  Edwina,  Mr.  Champion  is  here."  There  was 
a  warning  note  in  the  announcement,  explained 
immediately  by  the  fact  that  that  personage  came 
treading  upon  the  heels,  as  it  were,  of  the  speaker. 


THE  COLOSSEUM  235 

"  I  don't  know  how  many  this  tiny  balcony  will 
hold,"  said  the  girl,  giving  her  hand  to  the  new- 
comer. 

"  I  know  it  is  cold  for  you  to  be  standing  here 
without  a  wrap,  my  child.  I  did  n't  realize  what 
you  were  doing." 

"  I  thought  I  might  trespass,"  said  Champion, 
relinquishing  the  hand  reluctantly,  "  since  it  is  all 
in  the  line  of  sight-seeing.  I  wondered  if  you  had 
visited  the  Colosseum  by  moonlight  ?  " 

"  No  indeed,  we  have  n't,"  returned  Eunice. 
"  It  is  just  the  night  for  it !  " 

"  Remarkably  fine.  If  I  had  been  sure  of  such 
an  evening,  I  would  have  waited  to  bring  those 
tickets  myself  instead  of  sending  them." 

"  It  was  very  well  that  you  sent  them,"  said  Ed- 
wina.  "  Cousin  Eunice  has  had  just  so  many  more 
hours  of  peace  of  mind." 

"  We  '11  get  our  things  right  on,  Mr.  Champion," 
said  Miss  Pritchard  eagerly. 

"Very  well;  and  I  will  call  a  cab." 

Eunice  had  supped  so  full  of  horrors  connected 
with  the  Colosseum  that  an  evening  visit  to  it 
filled  her  with  weird  fascination.  There  were  few 
tourists  present  to-night  beside  themselves,  and  she 
wandered  about  the  great  interior  clinging  to 
Champion's  arm  until  her  eyes  became  used  to  the 
black  shadows  and  the  white  moonlight.  The  three 
sat  down  on  an  oblong  rock  at  last  and  silently 
gazed  at  the  vast  encircling  walls. 

Miss  Pritchard's  thoughts  were  busy  with  the 


236       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

beginning  of  the  Christian  era ;  her  companions' 
with  the  present  day  and  hour.  Hers  drove  her 
very  soon  to  the  railing  which  surrounds  the  exca- 
vations in  the  centre  of  the  amphitheatre.  She 
had  before  gazed  into  those  suggestive  depths  where 
wild  beasts  and  their  prey  alike  were  once  confined, 
waiting  to  make  sport  for  the  populace. 

Scarce  had  her  light  figure  hurried  away  when 
Champion  took  Edwina's  hand,  and  she  yielded  it. 

"  It's  true,  dear  ?  "  he  said  with  eager  appeal. 

"  Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction  !  "  called  Miss 
Pritchard  from  her  stand  by  the  railing. 

At  her  voice  Edwina  started,  and  tried  to  with- 
draw her  hand. 

"  We  are  in  shadow,"  said  Champion  as  he  held 
it  fast.  "  Don't  be  anxious.  Why  are  you  so 
afraid,  Edwina  ?  " 

"  Because  it  means  so  much  to  me,"  said  the 
girl,  breathing  fast. 

"  But  she  likes  me." 

"  She  would  dislike  you  instantly  if  "  — 

"  Then  is  she  to  prevent  me  always  "  — 

"  I  think  not.  I  have  —  I  have  hopes  ;  but  it 
will  be  painful  unless  you  are  careful  and  do  just 
as  I  say." 

"  I  am  going  to  do  that  always,''  said  Champion 
with  prompt  rashness,  "  if  you  love  me." 

"  Oh,  she  's  coming  !     Be  careful !  " 

"  Do  you  love  me  ?  " 

"  Never  mind."  Edwina  spoke  low  and  in  a 
panic.  "  My  father  spoiled  her  life.  I  've  made 


THE  COLOSSEUM  237 

a  vow  to  think  of  her  first  —  before  anybody,  even 
before  you.  Be  patient  and  trust  me.  Do  as  I 
do.  Promise  me !  " 

"  Yes,  if  you  will  do  as  I  do,  and  love  with  all 
your  heart.  Do  you  —  Edwina  ?  " 

"I  —  I  think  so  ;  and  I  must  have  her  full  ap- 
proval, or  never  be  happy  again  "  — 

This  music  to  Champion's  ears  overpowered  his 
caution.  He  caught  Edwina  in  his  arms  and 
pressed  his  lips  to  hers.  She  shrank  from  him 
and  clung  to  him  in  the  same  breath ;  then  spring- 
ing to  her  feet  looked  apprehensively  toward  her 
cousin. 

Miss  Pritchard  had  changed  her  position,  but 
was  again  leaning  over  the  railing.  Champion,  his 
elbows  on  his  knees,  rested  his  pulsing  temples  in 
his  hands.  Edwina  moved  away  a  short  distance 
to  recover  herself  before  strolling  back  slowly  to- 
ward Eunice.  The  moon  stealing  up  past  the 
yawning  windows  was  flooding  the  amphitheatre 
with  whiteness  when  the  girl  drew  near  her  cousin. 
She  found  her  seated  on  a  stone. 

"Why  cousin  Eunice,  what  is  the  matter?" 
she  asked  solicitously,  for  Miss  Pritchard's  face 
was  buried  in  her  handkerchief. 

"  Oh  Ned,  Ned  !  "  exclaimed  Eunice  huskily. 
She  revealed  her  wet  eyes,  only  to  bury  them 
again.  "  To  think  it  is  n't  made  up,  —  it  is  n't  a 
dream  or  anything  like  that,  but  it 's  true  —  it 's 
true !  " 

"What   is,  dear?"    asked   the   girl   fearfully, 


238       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

stooping  and  in  her  excitement  ready  to  add  her 
tears  to  her  cousin's. 

"  Those  —  those  martyrs  !  Just  because  they 
were  faithful  and  self-denying,  to  think  they  were 
given  to  the  beasts  in  this  very  place !  And  we 
can  have  the  heart  to  come  and  look  and  stare 
around  and  take  it  calmly  !  " 

*'  There  is  n't  anything  else  to  do,  dear !  "  re- 
turned Edwina,  putting  her  arms  around  the 
other's  small  shaken  form.  "  Don't  cry,  cousin 
Eunice  ;  it  hurts  me  dreadfully.  I  hardly  ever  saw 
you  cry  in  my  life." 

"  I  know  it,"  sobbed  the  little  woman.  "  I  did 
all  my  crying  before  ever  you  knew  me,  and  it  was 
enough  to  last ;  but  now  —  Ned  —  now  " 

By  this  time  Champion  approached,  and  seeing 
Eunice  weeping,  gave  a  startled  look  of  inquiry  at 
Edwina. 

The  girl  shook  her  head.  "  She  began  to  think 
about  all  the  cruel  things  that  went  on  here,"  she 
explained,  "  and  it  overcame  her.  She  is  tired, 
poor  little  cousin.  We  've  had  such  a  busy  week. 
I  'm  going  to  take  her  right  home  and  put  her  to 
bed.  She  never  had  any  nerves  before  ;  did  you, 
dear?" 

Miss  Pritchard's  trembling  was  such  that  Edwina 
feared  it  might  mean  a  chill,  and  vague  forebod- 
ings of  Roman  fever  shook  her  own  nerves. 

"  I  think  it 's  a  very  right  thing  to  cry,"  moaned 
Eunice.  "  It 's  worse  than  a  thousand  cemeteries." 

"  Yes,"  returned  Edwina,  patting  her  and  trying 


THE  COLOSSEUM  239 

to  bring  a  smile  to  her  face.  "  Mr.  Remick  ought 
to  come,  ought  he  not  ?  He  should  be  here  in. 
stead  of  you.  You  are  like  Miss  Remick.  You 
remember  she  said  that  instead  of  cheering  her, 
cemeteries  made  her  quite  low." 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE   POPE 

Miss  PRITCHARD  looked  tired  and  pale  the  next 
day,  but  she  stoutly  denied  the  fact,  and  declared 
herself  ready  for  a  trip  to  the  Pantheon,  hastening 
her  companion's  preparations  with  undiminished 
energy.  As  they  entered  the  ancient  church  a 
male  quartette  was  singing,  preparing  for  some 
service.  The  effect  was  thrilling.  Eunice  and 
Edwina  stood  still  and  listened,  looking  far  up 
through  the  opening  overhead  into  the  sky,  feeling, 
as  Hilda  did,  that  angels  might  pass  and  repass 
across  its  circle.  They  lingered  for  a  time  beside 
the  famous  tombs  and  then  went  on  to  the  Forum. 

The  next  day  they  went  over  the  ruins  on  the 
Palatine  Hill,  and  the  next  to  Hadrian's  villa.  In 
vain  Edwina  protested  her  fear  that  her  cousin 
would  overdo.  Miss  Pritchard  laughed.  "  Non- 
sense, child  !  I  '11  never  cry  again  where  you  are. 
You  have  treated  me  ever  since  Sunday  evening  as 
if  I  were  made  of  egg-shell  china.  This  weather 
is  too  perfect  to  lose.  Moreover,  it  will  make 
Friday  come  quicker  if  we  keep  doing  things." 

Champion  remained  obediently  invisible  until 
Thursday  morning,  when  he  presented  himself  at 


THE  POPE  241 

an  early  hour  and  asked  for  Miss  Pritchard.  She 
answered  his  summons  promptly.  His  face  was 
bright  as  he  met  her.  "  I  think  I  have  an  oppor- 
tunity for  you,"  he  said.  "  I  discovered  last  even- 
ing that  Monsignor  Baccelli  is  about  to  take  a 
party  through  the  private  rooms  of  the  Vatican  to- 
day. He  has  given  me  permission  to  bring  you 
and  Miss  Wilder." 

"  That  is  an  opportunity.  How  good !  Are  we 
to  come  now  ?  " 

"  At  once,  please." 

"  Very  well.     I  will  call  Edwina." 

When  the  three  were  in  their  cab  driving  to- 
ward St.  Peter's,  Champion  looked  at  Miss  Pritch- 
ard quizzically.  "  Have  you  repented  frightening 
us  so  the  other  evening  at  the  Colosseum  ?  " 

She  made  a  quick  little  motion,  averting  her 
head.  "  I  don't  like  to  talk  about  that." 

"  Cousin  Eunice  does  n't  weep  often  enough  to 
take  it  easily,"  remarked  Edwina. 

"  Ah  ?  I  thought  a  good  cry  was  one  of  a  wo- 
man's greatest  luxuries." 

"  Some  women,  perhaps.  I  shall  never  go  inside 
that  Colosseum  again,"  said  Eunice  shortly. 

Edwina  had  supplemented  her  hasty  interview 
with  her  lover  by  a  letter  in  which  she  anticipated  the 
impatience  which  he  might  now  feel  with  the  ob- 
stacle to  their  happiness.  She  expressed  fully  her 
tenderness  of  her  cousin,  her  debt  to  her,  her  duty 
to  her.  and  her  unalterable  determination  never  to 
oppose  her  in  a  serious  matter.  She  endeavored 


242       MISS  PEITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

to  explain  to  him  Miss  Pritchard's  standpoint,  and 
to  enlist  his  sympathies  for  her.  She  told  him 
frankly  that  to  gain  Eunice's  affection  more  and 
more,  going  on  as  he  had  begun,  was  their  best 
hope ;  and  telling  him  that  everything  depended 
on  himself,  she  ended  with  a  few  gentle  words  of 
affection  which  he  immediately  cut  from  the  letter 
and  placed  in  his  pocket  book,  from  which  he  drew 
them  for  perusal  several  times  an  hour. 

To  this  wooing,  then,  he  immediately  gave  re- 
doubled attention.  He  had  already  been  so  as- 
siduously kind  to  the  guardian  of  his  queen  of  the 
rosebud  garden  of  girls  that  it  would  be  less  no- 
ticeable for  him  to  continue  his  benefits  than  to 
withdraw  them  and  fume,  as  he  should  have  been 
likely  to  do  but  for  Edwina's  pacific  and  warning 
letter.  Their  time  in  Rome  was  growing  short, 
and  he  had  seized  at  this  exceptional  chance  to  do 
Miss  Pritchard  a  favor  quite  in  the  line  of  her 
eager  interest. 

Arrived  at  the  Vatican,  the  three  joined  the 
small  group  of  tourists  with  whom  was  Champion's 
priestly  friend.  He  introduced  them  to  Monsignor 
Baccelli,  whose  gentle,  strong  face  lighted  with 
benevolent  welcome,  his  beautiful  eyes  beaming 
expressively  as  Eunice  tried  to  compress  into  a 
few  words  her  gratitude  for  the  tickets  he  had  sent. 

"  I  am  glad,"  said  Monsignor  simply.  "  The 
boy's  friends  are  my  friends." 

"  If  Miranda  could  see  us  now ! "  whispered 
Miss  Pritchard  to  Edwina  as  they  climbed  the  first 


THE  POPE  243 

flight  of  stairs,  following  the  long  black  coat  and 
flat  beaver  hat  of  the  priest,  before  whom  the 
Swiss  guards  in  their  gay  garb  fell  back,  and  im- 
penetrable gates  swung  wide. 

Edwina  smiled.  "  I  fancy  Miranda  would  de- 
velop a  better  judgment  too,"  she  answered.  "  I 
think  she  would  send  you  the  keys  of  the  apart- 
ment at  once." 

"Just  think!     He  lives  here  !  "  said  Eunice. 

"And  has  space  enough  for  a  single  man,"  sug- 
gested Champion;  "several  thousand  rooms." 

"  And  never  can  even  eat  with  anybody,"  added 
Miss  Pritchard,  her  eyes  quite  round  from  the  in- 
terest with  which  she  followed  the  company  into  a 
room  hung  with  Gobelin  tapestries. 

The  pilgrimage  was  a  long  one,  up  and  down 
interminable  broad  flights  of  marble  stairs  which 
now  replace  the  inclined  planes  up  which  the  Popes 
rode  their  horses.  Sometimes  they  came  out  on  a 
balcony  which  overlooked  one  of  the  twenty-four 
enormous  courts  around  which  the  palace  is  built, 
and  where  in  days  of  old  took  place  the  races  and 
other  sports  which  entertained  the  leisure  hours  of 
the  papal  suite. 

Once,  before  descending  a  flight  of  stairs,  Mon- 
signor  put  himself  at  the  head  of  his  party,  his 
finger  on  his  lips.  u  Kindly  do  not  speak  until 
we  are  down,"  he  said.  "  We  are  about  to  pass 
by  the  apartment  of  the  Holy  Father,  and  he  might 
be  disturbed." 

Amazingly  exciting  this  to  Miss  Pritchard,  who 


244       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

crept  down  like  a  small  shadow  and  only  took  a 
full  breath  when  she  had  reached  the  foot. 

Finally  they  were  taken  into  the  spacious  gar- 
dens of  the  palace,  a  large  bit  of  country  in  the 
heart  of  Rome  which  is  invisible  from  the  outside, 
and  which  gives  the  lonely  potentate  his  glimpses 
of  nature.  Fountains,  flowers,  carefully  kept  walks 
are  there  in  abundance,  but,  also  a  forest,  —  a  wild- 
wood  on  whose  outskirts  stands  the  villa  which  is 
the  Pope's  summer  house. 

"  We  are  always  having  something  to  thank  you 
for,"  said  Miss  Pritchard  to  Champion  when  finally 
he  put  the  weary  ladies  into  a  cab. 

"  And  yet  you  will  go  away  and  leave  me  !  "  he 
responded  humorously. 

"  I  suppose  we  can't  take  you  with  us,"  she 
replied,  in  the  same  tone. 

Edwina,  as  her  habit  was  when  Champion  was 
with  them,  had  kept  a  neutral  silence  when  not 
compelled  to  speak. 

"  But  you  are  a  luxury  we  did  n't  count  on  when 
we  came  over,"  went  on  Eunice,  "  an  extra,  you 
know.  Edwina  and  I  ai'e  equal  to  all  the  neces- 
sities alone,  are  n't  we,  Ned  ?  " 

"  Indeed  we  are,  and  content  as  the  day  is 
long." 

"  You  need  n't  emphasize  it,"  said  Champion, 
with  a  comical  shrug.  "  Would  it  be  too  much  to 
ask  you  to  write  to  me  occasionally,  Miss  Pritch- 
ard ?  I  shall  very  much  want  to  know  where 
you  are  and  how  you  are  getting  on." 


THE  POPE  245 

"  It  is  the  least  I  can  do,"  she  returned  ;  "  but 
I  'm  a  sorry  letter  writer.  Perhaps  I  can  copy 
one  of  Edwina's  numerous  epistles  sometime." 

She  continued  to  look  at  him  as  the  cab  rolled 
away,  and  he  stood  with  lifted  hat.  Edwina  re- 
joiced in  the  liking  she  believed  was  in  her  eyes. 

The  next  morning  the  two  took  an  early  break- 
fast, and  with  their  camp-stools  mounted  into  a 
cab  and  set  off  for  St.  Peter's.  It  was  only  half 
past  eight  when  they  drove  beneath  the  swaying 
cloudy  curtains  of  the  great  fountains. 

"  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  those  Carabinieri," 
remarked  Edwina,  observing  the  phalanx  of  sol- 
diers that  guarded  the  grand  entrance  to  the 
church.  As  their  cab  stopped  as  near  as  possible 
to  the  steps,  one  of  the  Carabinieri  approached, 
and  Edwina  gathered  only  too  clearly  from  his 
words  that  the  ever-open  doors  were  closed  this 
morning  until  ten  o'clock. 

Making  the  best  of  the  situation,  they  took  their 
camp-stools  into  the  colonnade,  clasping  tightly  the 
precious  pink  tickets  which  were  to  allow  them  to 
enter  by  the  bronze  door  half  an  hour  before  the 
crowd  were  admitted  ;  and  here  they  gave  them- 
selves up  to  watching  the  marvelous  variety  of  hu- 
man beings  which  were  already  gathering  from  all 
directions.  The  city  was  full  of  pilgrims.  Sixteen 
thousand  had  arrived  a  few  days  before.  One  met 
them  everywhere,  —  this  army  of  peasants,  carry- 
ing their  bundles  and  patiently  trudging  the  rounds 
to  pray  at  the  seven  basilicas.  It  seemed  as  if 


246       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

types  of  every  sort  of  costume  in  Italy  must  be 
represented.  Picturesque  headgear  and  massive 
earrings  sometimes  adorned  a  full  young  face 
whose  long  lashes  shaded  a  peachy  cheek,  and 
again  a  bright  handkerchief  surrounded  the  leath- 
ery wrinkled  visage  of  an  old  woman  whose  coarse, 
bunchy  skirt  failed  to  reach  the  tops  of  her  cumber- 
some shoes.  This  morning  a  pretty  girl  in  velvet 
bodice  and  snowy  chemisette  lifted  child-like  eyes 
to  Edwina. 

"  American  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  sweet  voice. 

"  Yes,"  said  Edwina. 

"  You  give  me  money  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  astonished  girl. 

"  No  ?  "  echoed  the  Italian  with  unruffled  sweet- 
ness, and  moved  away.  It  had  evidently  been  her 
experience  that  Americans  existed  only  to  bestow 
money. 

Four  thousand  of  these  pilgrims,  whose  presence 
was  the  occasion  of  to-day's  reception,  were  lodged 
and  fed  in  and  about  the  Vatican.  Great  had  been 
the  struggle  for  tickets,  as  Eunice  and  Edwina 

oo 

had  been  hearing  all  the  week. 

A  crowd  of  lucky  possessors  of  the  pink  slips 
gathered  during  that  hour  in  the  colonnade,  and 
at  last  the  guard  stood  back  and  the  rush  began. 
Eunice  and  Edwina  were  well  toward  the  front, 
and  the  press  was  great  toward  the  narrow  aper- 
ture where  the  tickets  were  examined. 

Monsignor  Baccelli  had  explained  to  them  just 
how  the  railings  would  be  placed,  between  which 


THE  POPE  247 

the  Saint  Pere  would  be  carried,  and  others  beside 
themselves  were  coveting  the  more  favorable  posi- 
tions. Moreover,  confusion  was  made  by  persons 
whose  tickets  only  admitted  at  the  general  doors, 
coming  to  this  one  through  misunderstanding. 
They,  pushing  down  while  the  others  pushed  up, 
made  the  situation  difficult,  the  more  so  that  more 
or  less  rage  glowed  in  their  breasts.  One  priest 
who  with  his  party  had  been  sent  back  happened 
to  glare  at  Edwina.  She  now  understood  enough 
Italian  to  gather  that  he  was  demanding  to  know 
who  issued  their  tickets.  "  Monsignor  Baccelli," 
she  said  ;  and  it  was  interesting  to  note  the  calm- 
ing effect  of  the  name  on  the  irate  priest. 

A  man  in  evening  clothes  and  silk  hat  stood  in- 
side the  rail  gesturing  soothingly  over  the  seething 
mass  on  the  staircase  and  crying,  "  Piano !  piano  !  " 
to  those  detachments  who  were  let  through  the 
gate.  But  two  Americans  in  that  motley  crowd 
had  not  been  pinched,  and  crushed,  and  bruised 
with  their  camp-stools  for  nothing.  Eunice  and 
Edwina  fled  into  the  empty,  solemn  church,  out- 
side which  in  the  piazza  a  vast  crowd  was  gath- 
ering. The  few  hundreds  who  entered  with  them 
made  no  impression  on  the  spaces,  and  they  suc- 
ceeded in  setting  their  camp-stools  in  the  desired 
angle  of  the  railing. 

They  had  brought  books  to  read  during  the 
hours  of  waiting  ;  but  it  was  not  a  time  for  books. 
The  sacred  avenue  before  them  was  filled  with  en- 
tertaining notables  ;  Swiss  Guards  in  their  best  and 


248       MISS  PBITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

brightest,  army  officers  in  various  and  handsome 
uniforms,  ushers  in  evening  dress  wearing  orders 
and  medals,  and  Roman  princes  in  black  velvet 
cavalier  costume,  with  ruff,  sword,  and  brilliant 
buckles,  wearing  about  their  necks  splendid  gold 
chains  ending  in  the  papal  keys  and  crown.  From 
time  to  time  dignitaries  of  the  church  were  passed 
up  the  avenue,  arrayed  in  white,  purple,  and  car- 
dinal. Once  a  Russian  grand  duchess  passed  in 
black  trailing  robes  and  veil,  royally  escorted  by 
the  Swiss  Guards. 

"  What  would  Miranda  say  !  "  exclaimed  Miss 
Pritchard. 

Now  the  great  doors  were  opened,  and  fifty 
thousand  people  flowed  into  the  basilica.  They 
streamed  across  the  distant  spaces  in  black  lines, 
looking  like  ants.  The  pilgrims  lined  up  against 
the  railings,  and  the  multitude  waited  patiently, 
most  of  them  standing,  until  one  hour  had  passed. 
This  was  the  appointed  time,  and  expectation  was 
on  tiptoe  ;  but  another  half -hour  wore  away,  and 
still  the  sea  surged  and  the  door  into  the  Vatican 
remained  closed.  Another  fifteen  minutes  passed, 
and  a  murmur  arose  and  spread.  The  Pope  was 
coming. 

Miss  Pritchard's  heart  beat  against  her  ribs  in 
surprising  excitement.  She  tried  to  steady  herself 
with  the  repressive  thought  of  Miranda.  In  vain, 
for  now  the  anticipated  vision  smote  upon  her 
view.  Twelve  men  in  cardinal  velvet  brocade 
bore  velvet-covered  poles  on  their  shoulders.  In 


THE  POPE  249 

the  midst  was  the  rich  red  throne  anc!  platform, 
gorgeously  encrusted  with  gold  symbols,  which 
held  the  spirituel  form  of  this  adored  being  who 
rules  over  three  hundred  million  souls. 

The  multitude  was  swept  as  with  a  wind. 
"  Viva !  Viva !  Viva !  "  burst  forth  as  he  went, 
and  in  his  wake  the  peasant  pilgrims,  with  stream- 
ing eyes,  and  arms  crossed  on  their  breasts,  swayed 
to  and  fro  as  if  an  angel  had  passed.  In  the  thrill 
of  it  one  could  not  feel  repugnance  for  the  worship 
of  this  sweet-faced  man  of  ninety  years,  —  so  pure 
and  perfect  a  picture  he  made.  Clothed  all  in  rich 
ivory-white  not  whiter  than  his  face,  a  cap  of  white, 
white  sash,  and  shoes  embroidered  in  gold,  white 
mitts  on  his  hands,  below  which  gleamed  the 
famous  emerald  ring  surrounded  with  brilliants  as 
he  constantly  raised  the  hand  in  blessing.  From 
time  to  time  he  lifted  himself  bodily  from  the 
throne,  the  glowing  background  enhancing  the 
picture  as  he  looked  to  this  side  and  to  that,  his 
delicate  raised  hand  trembling  visibly.  The  excite- 
ment was  intense.  Women  held  up  rosaries  and 
other  objects  to  be  blessed,  and  the  cries  increased 
in  fervor. 

"  It  will  kill  him !  It  will  kill  him  !  "  Eunice 
was  repeating.  She  leaned  forward  and  tried  to 
watch  as  at  last  he  was  helped  from  his  chair. 
Waving  off  his  supporting  cardinals,  he  ascended 
the  steps  of  the  high  altar  and  conducted  a  service. 
Eunice  and  Edwina  waited  another  hour,  listening 
to  the  responses  of  the  rough  peasant  voices,  and 


250       3/156'  PBITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

then  with  the  same  pomp  and  circumstance,  Leo 
XIII.  was  brought  back.  Loud,  loving,  inspiring 
were  the  "  Vivas !  "  that  continued  while  he  was  in 
sight,  and  bravely  the  old  man  acknowledged  them 
with  benediction.  At  last,  when  his  cavalcade  had 
turned  and  nearly  reached  the  door  to  his  palace, 
he  sank  back  in  his  chair  and  pressed  his  handker- 
chief to  his  lips. 

"  Will  he  ever  be  able  to  do  this  again  ?  "  ex- 
claimed Edwina,  as  the  crowd  began  to  move. 

"  I  don't  know,"  returned  Eunice,  her  thin 
cheeks  scarlet ;  "  but  we  have  seen  the  Pope ! " 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE    BLUE    GROTTO 

UNDER  the  influence  of  another  note  which 
Edwina  sent  to  Champion's  hotel,  his  manner  in 
seeing  them  off  at  the  station  in  Rome  was  such 
that  the  last  glance  she  gave  him  was  one  warm 
with  gratitude  and  appreciation  of  his  self-control. 
Her  anxiety  lest  he  betray  himself  to  Miss  Pritch- 
ard's  unsuspicious  eyes  had  been  so  keen  that 
she  had  not  had  space  to  realize  her  own  share  of 
the  pang  of  parting  until  the  train  was  fairly  started 
for  Naples.  Then  she  sat  and  looked  out  of  the 
window  for  so  long  a  period  of  silence  that  Eunice, 
sitting  opposite,  leaned  forward. 

"  You  have  n't  a  headache,  I  hope,  Ned  ?  " 

Had  Miss  Pritchard  comprehended  the  situation, 
she  must  have  been  touched  by  the  reassuring 
brightness  that  overspread  her  child's  face. 

"  I  find  I  am  tired  after  all,"  answered  Edwina, 
"  and  I  think  it 's  a  little  mournful  leaving  Rome, 
don't  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  just  take  a  good  rest  now.  Lean 
back  in  that  corner  and  shut  your  eyes." 

The  girl  obeyed  thankfully.  It  is  sometimes 
such  a  priceless  privilege  to  be  left  to  one's  own 


252       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

thoughts.  Edwina's  were  so  tenderly  reminiscent 
that  she  quickly  made  them  disciplinary.  She 
recognized  the  danger  that  henceforth  she  would 
see  all  beauty  merely  as  a  background  for  one  fig- 
ure, and  would  lose  the  value  of  these  sunny  Italian 
days  in  wishing  them  to  hurry  by  and  bring  nearer 
the  time  when  she  and  her  lover  could  meet  again. 
She  lifted  her  eyelids  sufficiently  to  look  at  her 
cousin.  Eunice  was  gazing  from  the  opposite 
window  with  a  serious,  almost  sad  preoccupation. 
Edwina  knew  that  the  little  woman  could  not  read, 
and  would  in  fact  suspend  all  activity  until  she 
herself  showed  her  customary  animation. 

Miss  Pritchard's  patient  dependence  might  well 
have  irritated  her  in  her  present  mood ;  but  the 
girl  loyally  resisted  the  sensation.  The  look  in 
the  gentle  eyes  only  reinforced  her  determination 
that  neither  lover  nor  any  lesser  influence  should 
cloud  her  little  guardian's  wedding  trip.  There 
were  but  four  months  left.  They  should  be  en- 
tirely devoted  to  fulfilling  every  expectation  that 
Eunice  had  formed. 

One  of  these  was  visiting  the  Aquarium  at 
Naples,  so  on  the  first  morning  of  their  few  days 
in  that  city  they  turned  their  steps  to  the  long 
park  bordering  the  lovely  bay,  and  left  the  daylight 
to  go  down  among  the  dwellers  in  the  sea.  All 
the  joys  of  the  Water  Babies  suggested  themselves 
to  our  travelers  as  they  stood  before  the  crystal 
tanks  lighted  from  above.  In  one  were  a  number 
of  those  fluted  bivalves  which  one  usually  sees 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  258 

filled  with  velvet  and  stuck  full  of  pins.  Here 
they  were  alive,  and  performing  such  wonderful 
and  airy  acts  that  the  visitors  could  scarcely  be- 
lieve their  eyes.  They  flew  through  the  water 
with  the  lightness  of  butterflies,  their  shells  open- 
ing and  closing  swiftly  like  wings,  while  about 
them  were  the  sentimental  little  sea-horses  with 
their  heads  on  one  side,  gazing  at  each  other  as  if 
in  a  trance.  One  tank  looked  like  a  florist's  win- 
dow with  flowers  of  intense  colors,  chrysanthemums 
and  dahlias,  living  and  glowing.  Another  was 
like  a  milliner's  exhibit,  with  great  variety  of 
feathers  and  fringes  all  alive.  The  jeweler's  win- 
dow was  rich  in  a  variety  of  corals.  All  sorts  of 
creatures,  from  the  ugly  cuttle-fish  hiding  himself 
in  an  inky  cloud  to  the  scaly  beauty  whose  sides 
were  an  iridescent  rainbow,  were  to  be  studied 
there,  and  Eunice  and  Edwina  lingered  for  hours. 

At  their  hotel  they  met  a  young  American  from 
the  West  who  had  just  landed,  and  who  eagerly 
made  excuse  to  get  into  conversation  with  them 
one  afternoon  in  the  writing-room. 

"  You  have  but  just  arrived  ? "  repeated  Miss 
Pritchard  kindly  when  he  had  made  that  fact 
known. 

The  interest  and  wistfulness  in  his  eyes  appealed 
to  her,  seasoned  traveler  that  she  felt  herself  to 
be. 

"  Yes,  I  made  up  my  mind  it  was  the  right  time 
to  come  over.  I  'd  struck  a  run  of  good  luck  and 
could  afford  it ;  but  I  'm  not  a  bit  prepared  for 


254       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

what  I  'm  going  to  see,  and  that 's  a  big  handicap. 
For  instance,  I  don't  know  a  thing  about  art. 
When  I  'm  in  Rome,  if  I  should  run  right  up 
against  Mr.  Milo's  Venus,  I  shouldn't  know  it. 
Never  saw  a  copy  that  I  know  of.  I  might  walk 
right  past  it  and  never  be  a  bit  the  wiser." 

There  was  a  frank  simplicity  in  the  young  fel- 
low's manner  that  touched  his  listeners.  They 
told  him  that  Mr.  Milo  did  not  create  the  Venus 
so  far  as  any  one  knows,  and  told  him  where  to 
find  it,  and  Edwina  showed  him  Baedeker  and  ex- 
plained to  him  how  to  delve  for  its  facts.  He  lis- 
tened gratefully  to  all  they  had  to  say,  and  appeared 
to  anticipate  with  less  doubt  the  novel  experiences 
before  him.  Later,  in  the  same  room,  his  new 
friends  were  amused  to  observe  a  little  incident 
that  still  further  exhibited  the  young  fellow's 
strangeness  to  his  surroundings.  A  Frenchwoman 
wished  to  use  the  pen,  and  the  young  American, 
lingering  idly  at  the  writing-table,  was  in  her  way. 
She  fluttered  up  to  him  and  said  volubly  :  "Par- 
don !  Voulez-vous  avoir  la  bonte  de  me  passer  la 
plume  f  " 

The  American  raised  his  eyebrows  and  started 
back  with  a  candid  gesture.  "You  can  search 
me  /  "  he  responded  emphatically. 

Eunice  and  Edwina  did  not  remain  long  in 
Naples.  The  cabmen  frightened  them,  the  squalor 
repulsed  them.  One  bright  morning  they  were 
rowed  out  to  the  steamer  Nixe,  which  was  to  take 
them  to  Capri.  Vesuvius  was  smoking  pensively, 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  255 

the  gray  vapor  falling  and  trailing  down  the  moun- 
tain side,  and  the  passengers  all  stood  on  the  deck 
looking  back  at  Naples  on  its  splendid  curve,  the 
hills  full  of  foliage,  and  the  gray  arches. 

"  Good  riddance  to  those  brigandish  cabmen  !  " 
said  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  And  to  their  poor  little  bedecked  ponies  with 
the  outriggers  each  side  of  their  noses,"  added 
Edwina. 

But  Miss  Pritchard  had  not  long  to  dwell  upon 
the  gaudy  fringes  and  brass  ornaments  of  the 
Neapolitan  ponies.  The  Mediterranean  again 
proved  inhospitable,  and  all  poetry  was  speedily 
taken  out  of  "  sailing  the  Vesuvian  bay."  By 
the  time  Capri  was  reached  Eunice  was  in  no 
mood  for  pursuing  the  excursion  as  the  other  pas- 
sengers were  about  to  do,  to  the  Blue  Grotto. 

"  We  shall  be  here  several  days.  Surely  we  can 
go  into  it  any  time,"  she  said,  and  Edwina  agreed. 
So  they  stepped  into  the  small  boat  which  had 
come  out  from  the  Marina  Grande  to  meet  them  ; 
and  this  in  itself  was  not  too  easy,  for  the  sea  was 
rough  and  they  were  obliged  to  wait  until  the  boat 
rose  to  the  top  of  the  wave,  as  in  the  watery  valley 
it  was  impossible  to  reach  it.  Edwina  had  just 
succeeded  in  assisting  her  cousin  to  enter  safely 
when  above  the  beating  of  the  waves  she  heard  a 
familiar  voice. 

"  I  can't  think,  Edward,  how  I  can  ever  do  it !  " 

"  Drop,  I  tell  you !  Take  that  man's  hand. 
Don't  be  all  day  about  it !  " 


256      MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

It  was  indeed  the  Eeraicks,  and  Miss  Remick 
literally  and  involuntarily  fell  upon  Eunice  in  a 
hysterical  mixture  of  joy  and  fright. 

"  Who  would  ever  have  thought  it !  "  she  cried 
gladly. 

•  "  Humph  !  "  grunted  her  brother,  giving  a  life- 
less hand  to  the  Americans.  "  It  seems  we  are  n't 
the  only  fools  in  the  world  !  " 

"  I  'm  sure  the  crossing  was  very  different  to 
what  it  usually  is,"  said  Miss  Remick  apologeti- 
cally. 

"  And  very  like  our  trip  to  St.  Honorat,"  added 
Edwina,  smiling  at  her  sudden  conceit  that  this 
southern  sea  objected  to  carrying  the  Remicks. 

The  Englishman  folded  his  hands  on  his  um- 
brella handle  and  rested  his  chin  upon  them. 
"  When  people  voluntarily  go  in  for  this  sort  of 
thing,  they  don't  deserve  any  sympathy,"  he  re- 
marked to  the  gray  wall  of  rock  toward  which  the 
boatmen  began  to  pull. 

"  But  I  've  always  been  so  keen  to  see  Capri," 
said  his  sister,  looking  from  one  American  to  the 
other  for  support. 

"  It  would  n't  do  to  be  so  near  as  Naples  with- 
out coming  over,  certainly,"  said  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  The  Blue  Grotto  is  the  chief  feature,"  growled 
Mr.  Remick.  "  You  would  n't  go  to  it." 

"  But,  Edward,  I  was  too  ill,  was  n't  I  ?  And 
we  can  go  some  other  day,  can't  we  ?  " 

"  Go  if  you  like.  I  shan't.  My  word  !  Some 
people  must  always  make  two  bites  of  a  cherry." 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  257 

Miss  Remick's  large  face  was  grieved  as  that 
of  a  child,  and  she  looked  for  comfort  toward  Ed- 
wina,  who  nodded.  "  We  are  going  some  day," 
said  the  girl,  and  the  Englishwoman  slowly  smiled. 

At  the  Marina  Grande  there  was  the  usual  press 
of  more  or  less  picturesque  peasant  women  who 
seized  upon  all  portable  luggage,  dividing  it  to 
carry  to  the  carriage  in  order  to  present  as  many 
claims  for  centesimi  as  possible.  Edwina  could 
not  avoid  noticing  how  satisfied  they  were  with 
Mr.  Remick's  largess,  while  they  chattered  resent- 
fully at  the  increased  quantity  she  bestowed.  Some 
means  of  concealing  our  nationality  would  be  much 
money  in  the  traveling  American's  pocket. 

Mr.  Remick's  voice  seemed  especially  fitted  to 
exclaim  "  Via  !  "  in  a  manner  to  enforce  obedience, 
and  he  soon  cleared  away  the  group  of  beggars 
and  the  carriage  started.  Upward  it  wound  for 
half  an  hour,  three  of  the  tourists  happy  in  the 
view  of  the  bay,  and  the  fourth  looking  straight 
before  him. 

"  Have  you  decided  on  your  hotel,  Mr.  Rem- 
ick?"  asked  Edwina. 

"  Faraglioni.  Always  go  there.  The  table  's 
beastly." 

"  Me  brother 's  bean  here  again  and  again,"  said 
Miss  Remick.  "  It  suits  his  tubes,  and  so  he 
thought  he  'd  bring  me  over  this  time." 

"  Well,  I  don't  think  I  '11  try  that  hotel  on  your 
recommendation,"  laughed  Edwina. 

"  I  never  recommend  a  hotel,"  returned  their 
amiable  escort. 


258       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Then  I  see  it  is  of  no  use  to  catechise  you," 
said  the  girl.  She  was  glad  not  to  be  the  invalid's 
sister,  but  she  had  some  compassion  on  his  mood 
after  several  hours  spent  with  Miss  Remick  in  a 
seasick  condition. 

Their  carriage  at  last  drew  up  in  the  stone-paved 
square  from  which  footpaths  lead  to  the  villas, 
hotels,  and  pensions  of  the  village.  Saying  "Au 
revoir"  to  the  Remicks,  Eunice  and  Edwina  set 
off  for  one  of  the  latter  to  which  they  had  been  re- 
commended as  a  place  where  English  was  spoken. 
Its  garden  was  attractive,  and  it  was  a  disappoint- 
ment to  the  travelers  when  the  proprietor,  a  dapper 
little  Italian  with  the  air  of  a  dancing  master, 
shook  his  head  and  gestured  deprecatingly  when 
they  requested  two  single  rooms. 

"  In  my  dependencies  I  have  them,"  he  added, 
with  a  graceful,  vague  wave  of  the  hand. 

"  At  some  distance,  I  suppose,"  said  Miss  Pritch- 
ard.  "  We  should  have  to  come  here  to  meals." 
Her  voice  betrayed  doubt. 

"  Ah  !  "  His  finger  flew  with  a  dramatic  gesture 
to  his  lip ;  "  but  wait.  This  is  weather.  In  the 
morning  my  servant  carries  your  breakfast  to  you. 
For  lunch  and  dinner  I  must  ask"  —  an  apolo- 
getic outspreading  of  hands  finished. 

The  ladies  murmured  dissent.  Again  the  per- 
suasive finger  flew  to  his  lip.  "  Ha,  listen  !  If  it 
were  Jenooary  you  would  say  to  me,  '  Giovanni,  we 
cannot ! '  But  look  !  It  is  weather  !  " 

It  was.     One  could  not  deny  it  while  the  azure 


THE  BLUE  GEOTTO  259 

bathed  the  white  corners  of  the  villas  and  dyed  the 
bounding  sea.  Nevertheless  they  said  "  Giovanni, 
we  cannot,"  and  reluctantly  departed. 

"  If  you  don't  mind  the  Remicks  I  '11  try  the 
Faraglioni.  Mr.  Remick's  familiarity  here  will 
be  some  help  to  us." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  we  shall  live  outdoors  mainly, 
and  it  will  be  only  a  few  days." 

So  to  the  Faraglioni  they  climbed  through  the 
narrow  winding  paths,  and  after  one  glimpse  of 
the  rambling  old  villa  with  its  ancient  garden 
where  the  roses  clamber  over  white  arbors  and 
around  pillars,  a  whole  regiment  of  Remicks  could 
not  have  discouraged  them. 

The  only  drawback  to  Italian  gardens  for  Miss 
Pritchard  were  the  numerous  lizards.  Her  innate 
repugnance  to  those  little  creatures,  whose  bird- 
like  heads  seem  wrongfully  fettered  to  reptile 
bodies,  was  too  strong  to  be  overcome  ;  and  she  de- 
clined to  sit  under  the  trellises  unless  Edwina  was 
by  as  bodyguard  ;  but  thus  protected  she  could  see 
the  small  creatures  slip  over  the  low  white  wall 
or  sun  themselves  on  the  baked  stones,  without 
fear. 

Two  days  later  the  sea  had  quieted,  and  as  they 
felt  that  Miss  Remick  was  keeping  an  eye  upon 
their  movements  with  the  Blue  Grotto  in  view, 
Edwina  suggested  that  they  should  not  postpone 
the  trip. 

"  Yes,  let 's  get  it  over,"  sighed  Miss  Pritchard. 
"  It  will  be  almost  as  bad  as  the  Catacombs." 


260      MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  And  no  Mr.  Champion  to  call  upon ! "  said 
Edwina. 

"  No.     He  is  out  of  the  question  now." 

"  But  what  is  there  that  you  dread  about  it  ?  " 
asked  the  girl. 

"  Why,  what  should  I  but  the  water  —  that 
wretched,  humpy  old  ocean  that  never  will  keep 
still!" 

"  Oh  !  "  Edwina  said  no  more,  but  her  own  ap- 
prehensions were  acute,  although  of  a  different 
nature.  Her  experiences  with  extortionate  cabmen 
in  Naples  made  her  exceedingly  shy,  in  her  igno- 
rance of  the  language,  of  risking  similar  unplea- 
santness in  a  small  boat  on  the  water ;  but  she 
refrained  from  putting  these  fears  into  her  com- 
panions' heads. 

Miss  Remick  responded  gladly  to  Edwina's 
invitation.  "  Me  brother  will  go  for  a  walk  in- 
stead," she  said ;  and  indeed  he  left  the  hotel  with 
them,  and  bidding  them  a  curt  farewell,  took  his 
way  along  the  brow  of  the  hill  toward  the  Fara- 
glioni  rocks.  Edwina  knew  how  he  would  sit  there, 
his  hands  crossed  on  his  stick,  looking  before  him 
as  unmindful  of  the  lavish  wild  flowers  swinging 
their  bells  at  his  feet  as  of  the  rush  of  waters  around 
the  massive  rock  formations.  She  would  have  pre- 
ferred to  go  with  him  and  force  these  beauties  upon 
his  attention  rather  than  to  engineer  the  present 
expedition  ;  but  chiding  herself  for  cowardice,  she 
cheerfully  led  her  companions  through  the  wind- 
ings of  one  of  the  narrow  walled  lanes  which  in 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  261 

Capri  do  service  for  streets.  Occasionally  they 
met  goats  or  a  donkey,  and  as  frequently  a  bun- 
dle of  rags  inclosing  a  beggar  lay  in  their  path. 

Arrived  at  the  piazza,  they  took  a  carriage  to 
descend  to  the  Marina.  It  was  an  ideal  morning. 
The  zigzag  road  leading  farther  up  the  mountain 
to  the  village  of  Anacapri  looked  alluring.  Ed  win  a 
smiled  at  her  own  reluctance.  Everything  seemed 
more  attractive  to  her  this  morning  than  the  Ma- 
rina and  its  boatmen,  with  the  lonely  row  of  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  in  prospect. 

"  The  sea  looks  quite  calm,  does  n't  it  ?  "  said 
Miss  Remick,  when  they  had  arrived  and  were 
walking  out  on  the  dock. 

"There  are  the  Carabinieri  twins,  Edwina," 
said  Miss  Pritchard,  glancing  towai'd  the  inevitable 
pair  of  soldiers.  "  Can't  they  help  you  ?  "  for  she 
noticed  that  the  girl  was  looking  about  undecidedly. 

"They  never  know  any  French,"  was  the  de- 
spondent reply.  "  I  never  could  see  that  they  did 
anything  but  look  pretty." 

"  Have  you  remarked  how  everything  in  Italy 
seems  to  be  in  pairs  ?  "  said  Miss  Remick,  "  espe- 
cially in  Rome?  Of  course,  there's  Romulus  and 
Remus,  and  Castor  and  Pollux,  then  the  Carabi- 
nieri —  and  I  hope  it 's  not  wicked  to  say  so,  but 
there  's  Peter  and  Paul  everywhere." 

Edwina's  eyes  were  busily  searching  for  the 
least  brigandish  countenance  observable  among 
the  boatmen.  The  scowling,  swarthy  faces  under 
the  slouched  caps  were  not  encouraging.  Just  as 


262       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

her  doubt  was  at  its  height  a  boat  drew  up  to  the 
platform  out  of  which  stepped  a  lady  and  gentle- 
man. One  of  the  rowers  was  of  a  different  and 
attractive  type.  Impulsively  Edwina  accosted  the 
lady  in  French.  The  stranger's  command  of  the 
language  was  even  less  than  her  own,  but  she 
managed  to  learn  that  they  had  visited  the  Grotto 
and  that  they  liked  their  boatman. 

"  What  should  one  pay  them  ?  "  asked  the  girl 
anxiously. 

Unnoticed,  the  handsome  young  boatman  who 
had  attracted  Edwina's  attention  had  drawn  near 
and  was  openly  listening.  As  the  lady  had  diffi- 
culty in  formulating  her  reply,  he  interposed 
modestly  with  an  easy  bow  and  replied  for  her. 

"  Vous  parlez  franpais  I  "  exclaimed  Edwina  in 
glad  surprise. 

"  Yes,  Mademoiselle." 

"  And  English  !  "  more  joyously.  The  Italian's 
bright  eyes  and  teeth  gleamed  with  pleasure. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  simply. 

Volubly  then  the  girl  explained  in  her  own  dear 
native  tongue  that  she  could  not  speak  Italian,  and 
therefore  did  not  know  how  to  make  her  arrange- 
ments to  go  to  the  Blue  Grotto. 

"  I  will  take  care  of  you,"  said  the  young  fellow. 

He  helped  the  ladies  into  the  boat ;  but  Edwina 
observed  signs  that  raised  her  doubts. 

"  Are  n't  you  coming  with  us  ?  " 

"  I  have  just  returned.  I  am  not  allowed.  The 
others,  they  must  take  you." 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  263 

Promptly  Edwina  rose.  "  Then  I  'm  not  going. 
I  'd  rather  wait  till  to-morrow  than  not  go  with 
you." 

The  sailor  looked  surprised.  "  Thank  you, 
Madame  !  " 

"  I  tell  you  I  can't  speak  Italian  ;  but  perhaps 
you  are  tired,"  for  the  dew  was  on  the  boy's  broad 
forehead. 

He  made  an  expressive  gesture  of  scorn.  "  I 
could  row  around  the  island ;  but  I  am  not  allowed. 
Wait,  I  ask." 

Turning,  he  spoke  to  the  padrone,  who  was 
watching  and  frowning  questioningly.  At  last  the 
boatman  turned  back  to  Edwina.  "  He  allows  if 
you  pay  me  extra." 

"  How  much  ?  " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulder.  "Whatever  you 
like." 

"  Very  well.    Come  then.    What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Luigi." 

The  second  boatman  was  barefooted  and  rough 
and  stood  behind  Luigi,  who  in  his  canvas  shoes 
and  the  pink  shirt  that  fitted  his  broad  shoulders 
looked  like  a  young  prince  beside  his  fellows.  The 
three  ladies  sat  in  the  end  of  the  boat,  Luigi  facing 
them,  every  movement  full  of  grace  as  often  during 
his  talk  he  removed  one  brown  hand  from  the  long 
oar  in  the  necessity  for  gesture.  A  few  questions 
were  all  that  were  needed  to  set  him  to  talking  easily 
in  a  reposeful  fashion.  He  had  just  served  his  time 
in  the  navy  and  was  doing  this  work  temporarily 


264      MISS  PRITCBARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

until  he  could  find  some  business  to  settle  upon. 
Military  discipline  explained  the  phenomena  of 
his  immaculate  teeth  and  hands,  and  the  muscular 
development  of  his  shoulders  and  chest.  With 
flashing  looks  and  smiles  he  entertained  his  pas- 
sengers with  his  biography.  He  was  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  and  was  one  of  eleven  children,  of 
whom  "  only  the  biggest  was  dead." 

"  I  do  not  like  this  work.  I  wish  to  go  England, 
yes  ;  but  I  cannot  go  until  I  arrange  my  moth-er." 

"  With  so  many  brothers  and  sisters,  can't  some- 
one else  take  care  of  her  ?  "  asked  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  They  are  all  mar-ri-ed  but  me.  My  brother 
Pietro  mar-ri-ed  a  girl  from  Germania,  and  she 
died  and  remained  two  little  boys.  Yes.  They 
are  in  Capri.  Yes." 

"  But  how  did  you  happen  to  talk  English  ?  " 

"  A  lady  from  Boston  who  is  the  master  of  a 
school  was  in  Capri  many  summers.  She  buy  me 
books  and  teach  me.  She  had  me  to  make  prome- 
nades with  her  and  correct  me,  yes." 

That  lingering,  musical  "  yes  "  with  which  the 
speaker  adorned  his  statements  was  one  of  the 
special  charms  which  were  swiftly  and  surely  cap- 
turing his  audience.  Evidently  it  was  usual  for 
Luigi  to  find  his  way  to  the  feminine  heart.  He 
proceeded  to  relate  instances  of  kindness  toward 
himself  on  the  part  of  his  officer's  wife.  She  had 
used  her  influence  to  get  him  excused  from  a  por- 
tion of  his  time  of  service,  and  on  parting  had 
"  made  him  a  gold  pin  ! 


THE  BLUE  GEOTTO  265 

Altogether  this  young  spirit  of  Italy  was  one  of 
those  beings  who  occasionally  give  one  patience 
with  the  romantic  novelist's  inventions.  Miss 
Pritchard  said  afterward  that  even  despite  his  care- 
ful arrangement  of  cushions  at  her  back  she  held 
out  very  well  against  him  until  he  took  from  his 
pocket  a  snow-white  handkerchief  to  wipe  his 
streaming  brow.  This  crowning  touch  of  clean- 
liness in  Southern  Italy  caused  her  to  capitulate 
wholly.  She  leaned  toward  Edwina  and  whispered : 
"  I  want  to  send  his  mother  a  present." 

The  heavy  boat  slid  through  the  intensely  blue 
water,  beneath  sheer  gray  crags  hundreds  of  feet 
in  height.  Vesuvius  wore  a  soft  bouquet  of  smoke. 
There  was  only  a  light  breeze,  so  neither  Miss 
Remick  nor  Miss  Pritchard  felt  any  drawback  to 
the  trip,  while  Edwina,  relieved  of  her  vague 
terrors,  leaned  back  in  her  place  and  gave  herself 
up  to  enjoyment.  In  their  ignorance  they  had 
supposed  that  this  boat  could  take  them  inside  the 
Grotto ;  but  when  they  reached  its  low  arch,  a 
couple  of  small  skiffs  approached  to  take  them 
aboard.  Miss  Remick  begged  to  be  allowed  to 
have  a  companion  in  the  enterprise  ;  so  she  and 
Miss  Pritchard,  with  Luigi's  assistance,  entered 
one  of  the  small  boats  and  Edwina  the  other. 

"  I  do  believe  we  've  to  lie  down  in  this," 
said  Miss  Remick,  appalled. 

"Yes,  Madame,"  said  Luigi. 

Laboriously  the  Englishwoman  abased  her  portly 
person,  while  slim  little  Eunice  easily  followed  her 


266       MISS  PRITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

example,  though  inwardly  she  was  as  agitated  as 
the  unquiet  water  which  here  restlessly  rose  and 
fell  against  the  rock. 

"  How  ever  can  we  get  through  such  a  tiny 
place  ?  "  exclaimed  Miss  Remick,  lifting  her  head 
to  gaze  again  upon  the  low  arch  which  at  the  ris- 
ing wave  was  almost  completely  hidden. 

Miss  Pritchard's  head  next  came  appprehensively 
above  the  gunwale.  "  Ned,  do  you  think  we  'd 
better  try  it  ?  "  she  called.  "  The  waves  are  so 
big,  —  really  this  is  enough  to  see,  and  it 's  against 
my  better  " 

"  A  has  !  "  warned  her  boatman,  whose  swarthy 
face  was  scowling. 

As  this  exclamation  only  made  Miss  Pritchard 
struggle  up  higher,  Miss  Remick  cried  warningly ! 

"  Down  !  he  says,  down  !  We  '11  be  dashed 
against  the  rock  !  " 

Eunice  ducked  and  closed  her  eyes,  prepared  for 
any  fate.  The  beautiful  malicious  waves  were 
tossing  their  little  cockle  shell,  and  Miss  Remick 
was  murmuring  broken  ejaculations  as  to  Edward 
and  the  pity  it  was  that  he  was  n't  here  to  protect 
them,  although  his  tubes  never  would  permit  him 
to  lie  so  flat,  when  the  boatman  pushed  near  the 
arch  and,  taking  advantage  of  the  dropping  of  the 
wave,  seized  the  rope  and  with  a  vigorous  pull  shot 
their  little  craft  out  of  the  bright  sunshine  into 
the  dusky  Grotto. 

Eunice  opened  her  eyes  at  the  jerk  and  peered 
around  in  surprise.  Like  many  another,  she  had 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  267 

viewed  the  vivid  blue  pictures  of  this  curious  spot 
until  her  expectation  had  been  of  being  ushered 
into  the  heart  of  a  transparent  turquoise.  Instead, 
from  the  sudden  contrast  with  the  outer  world,  all 
was  blackness  except  the  quivering  light  in  the 
water.  A  minute's  stay  accustomed  the  eyes,  and 
then  that  translucent,  liquid,  silvery  blue  in  which 
their  boat  floated  grew  wonderful  to  see,  and  grad- 
ually the  stalactites  of  the  arching  roof  became 
perceptible. 

When  Edwina's  boat  came  in  they  talked  to  one 
another,  and  their  voices  resounded  and  reechoed 
strangely.  After  paddling  about  aimlessly  for  a 
minute  or  two,  Miss  Remick's  boatman  called  at- 
tention to  the  boys  in  white  bathing  dress  who  stood 
on  a  rock  ready  to  dive  for  the  consideration  of  a 
lira.  He  spoke  in  French,  and  Miss  Remick  in- 
formed him  that  she  had  no  money.  He  persisted, 
and  she  replied,  "  Mademoiselle  a  1'argong,"  so 
the  interest  of  both  the  sailors  became  centred 
in  Edwina.  Her  boatman  explained  to  her  also 
in  French  about  the  boys,  and  insisted,  in  spite  of 
the  girl's  declaration  that  she  did  not  care  to  see 
the  swimming,  that  she  give  them  a  lira. 

Apparently  he  was  determined  not  to  move  un- 
til she  complied.  There  was  no  one  in  the  echoing 
grotto  but  themselves.  They  were  absolutely  help- 
less to  get  out  until  their  boatmen  should  elect. 
The  girl  congratulated  herself  that  outside  in  the 
sunshine  waited  Luigi,  a  link  to  the  world.  She 
gave  one  look  at  the  descendant  of  pirates,  who  was 


268       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

determined  upon  money,  and  then  took  out  her 
purse.  It  happened  to  be  the  one  containing  paper, 
so  she  then  found  her  coin  purse  and,  taking  there- 
from a  lira,  she  threw  it  into  the  water,  supposing 
that  the  boys  wished  to  dive  for  it  as  they  had 
done  in  the  harbor  at  Naples.  But  the  boatman 
volubly  explained  that  that  was  impossible  here. 
She  must  hand  the  boy  a  lira,  and  then  he  would 
swim.  When  she  had  found  a  second  coin  and 
complied,  he  turned  his  boat  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  cut  off  the  view  of  Miss  Pritchard  and  Miss 
Remick,  saying  that  as  they  had  paid  nothing  they 
must  not  see.  They  did  not  complain,  their  chief 
and  only  anxiety  being  to  get  out  of  this  watery 
dungeon  with  its  quivering  lights  and  robber  crew. 

The  short  swim  concluded,  a  few  more  minutes 
were  passed  in  viewing  the  wonderful  lights,  and 
then  the  party  expressed  their  wish  to  leave  the 
Grotto.  Miss  Pritchard's  boatman,  having  slight 
interest  in  his  moneyless  passengers,  obediently 
turned  toward  the  entrance,  and  they  felt  a  certain 
relief  in  his  lazy  obedience,  as  if  he  might  have 
been  expected  to  decline ;  and  their  boat  was 
nearly  ready  to  shoot  beneath  the  arch  when  a  cry 
from  Edwina  resounded  through  the  cavern.  She 
had  asked  her  sailor  to  follow  the  others,  and  in- 
stead of  doing  so  he  had  begun  to  row  toward  a 
remote  and  dark  corner  at  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Grotto.  Edwina  trembled  in  every  limb  with  vague 
terror.  Wait,  wait,  cousin  Eunice  !  "  she  shouted. 

'•'•Courage,  Mademoiselle,  ayez  courage"  said 
her  boatman  in  a  low  voice. 


THE  BLUE  GROTTO  269 

Miss  Pritchard  turned  with  a  start  at  her  child's 
cry.  "  Tell  him  to  wait  —  tell  him  to  stop  !  "  she 
said  to  Miss  Remick. 

"  Arretez  I  arretez  I  "  cried  the  latter,  and  their 
man  paused. 

Even  then  Edwina's  boatman  persisted  in  his 
course.  In  still  greater  fright  she  called  to  her 
cousin,  and  again  her  boatman  exhorted,  "  Cou- 
rage, Mademoiselle,  courage" 

Miss  Pritchard  began  crying,  "  Edwina,  come  ! 
Come  at  once  !  "  So  the  sailor  turned,  and  observ- 
ing that  the  other  boat  was  waiting,  and  hearing 
the  frantic  cries,  he  abandoned  whatever  designs 
he  may  have  had  to  draw  something  more  from 
those  two  attractive  purses  of  Mademoiselle,  and 
at  last  followed  the  other  boat.  Once  again  they 
all  regained  the  light  of  day,  and  Luigi's  white 
cap  and  pink  shirt  formed  a  welcome  landmark  in 
the  blue.  His  reposeful  speech  sounded  more  than 
ever  musical  as  he  helped  his  passengers  back  into 
the  large  boat. 

Edwina  was  so  much  shaken  that  her  hands 
trembled  almost  uncontrollably  as  she  opened  her 
purse  to  pay  the  Grotto  boatmen,  who  watched  her 
every  movement  greedily.  She  knew  that  she 
should  break  down  if  she  made  any  comment  on 
the  fright  the  man  had  given  her,  so  she  merely 
paid  them  and  added  a  generous  pour  boire,  the 
quicker  to  escape  their  neighborhood :  but  her 
tactics  were  unsuccessful.  A  storm  of  dissatisfied 
Italian  broke  from  her  own  boatman,  though  the 
other  was  silent. 


270       MISS  PBITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

"  Supposing  now  that  we  had  come  with  common 
sailors  only,"  she  said  to  herself. 

She  looked  at  Luigi,  who  immediately  came 
forward.  "  What  did  you  give  him  ?  "  he  asked, 
and  the  girl  told  him. 

Luigi  nodded  and  shrugged ;  the  man  still  chat- 
tered. "  Give  him  ten  centesimi,"  he  said,  and 
Edwina  obeyed.  Luigi  laughed  at  the  voluble 
sailor,  and  as  he  pushed  away  chaffed  him  with  a 
fun  that  was  careless  of  the  dark  looks  cast  after 
their  retreating  boat. 

By  common  consent  the  ladies  did  not  refer  to 
anything  disagreeable  on  the  homeward  way. 
They  preferred  to  ask  Luigi  about  his  mother 
and  the  little  tobacco  shop  which  he  said  she  prayed 
to  be  allowed  to  keep,  for  she  should  be  sick  if  they 
would  not  allow  her  to  work.  The  Grotto  boatman 
would  have  liked  the  coin  Miss  Pritchard  sent  that 
moth-er.  Luigi  pronounced  the  first  syllable  as 
if  it  were  the  word  moth.  And  the  padrone  was 
satisfied  with  Edwina's  reward  for  allowing  Luigi 
to  go  with  them.  There  are  some  benefits  for 
which  money  cannot  pay. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

FLYING   TRIPS 

WHEN  Miss  Eemick  that  night  related  to  her 
brother  the  experiences  of  their  excursion,  Edwina 
expected  the  latter  to  utter  some  harsh  reproach. 
Instead  he  turned  and  looked  squarely  at  her,  con- 
trary to  custom. 

"  My  word !  I  'd  like  to  have  been  there,"  he 
said  threateningly. 

"  No  doubt  a  man's  presence  would  have  altered 
their  behavior,"  she  answered. 

"  It  was  so  unfortunate  that  I  had  to  prevent 
our  going  with  the  large  company  the  day  we  ar- 
rived," said  Miss  Pritchard,  who  shuddered  every 
time  she  remembered  Edwina's  cry  in  the  Grotto. 

"  Oh,  '  All 's  well  that  ends  well,'  "  said  the  girl, 
who  nevertheless  expected  to  dream  of  the  episode. 
"  We  've  seen  the  Blue  Grotto  and  —  Luigi !  " 

"  That  nice  clean  boy !  "  exclaimed  Eunice 
pensively.  "  He  was  the  only  thing  that  kept  me 
from  jumping  overboard  when  I  saw  that  rascal 
rowing  off  with  you  in  the  black  distance." 

"  I  would  like  to  know  what  he  had  in  his  mind," 
said  Edwina.  "  Luigi  laughed  at  him  and  teased 
him  as  if  he  were  n't  anybody  to  be  afraid  of." 


272       MISS  PKITCHABD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Oh,  it  was  only  some  form  of  begging  he  was 
after,"  growled  Mr.  Remick,  "  but  deuced  unplea- 
sant. My  word  !  I  'd  like  the  kicking  of  him !  " 

A  few  days  at  Capri,  intoxicating  rambles  among 
the  rocks  and  wild  flowers,  an  excursion  by  don- 
keys to  the  palace  of  Tiberius,  during  which  the 
Remicks'  "walk  [or  rather,  ride]  and  conversa- 
tion "  nearly  incapacitated  their  American  friends 
from  sitting  their  animals,  and  then  the  party  left 
the  mountain  island.  Luigi  was  on  the  dock  at 
the  hour  of  their  departure  and  went  out  with  them 
in  the  small  boat  to  the  Nixe,  and  helped  carry 
their  luggage  on  board.  Their  kindness  and  in- 
terest had  won  his  heart,  and  the  more  they  saw 
of  the  simple  dignity  and  natural  charm  of  his 
manner,  the  more  he  pleased  them. 

"  I  would  like  to  go  away,  yes,"  he  said  as  they 
all  stood  together  on  the  deck  of  the  large  steamer. 
"  It  is  nothing  for  me  in  Capri ;  but  I  have  not 
yet  arranged  my  moth-er.  She  send  her  thanks  — 
a  great  deal  —  to  the  lady."  He  brought  his  heels 
together  and  took  off  his  cap  to  Eunice. 

"  You  must  say  good-by  to  her  for  us,"  returned 
Miss  Pritchard.  "  Here  is  an  envelope  with  my 
name  and  address,  Luigi,  and  Miss  Wilder  will 
give  you  one  of  hers,  so  you  will  not  forget  us,  for 
we  shall  remember  you  with  a  great  deal  of  plea- 
sure." 

The  Italian's  olive  cheek  flushed  and  he  bowed 
low  again,  then  took  from  his  pocket  his  card.  It 
read  "Sabelli  Luigi,"  and  he  added  the  address: 


FLYING   TRIPS  273 

"  Marina  Grande,  Isola  di  Capri,"  and  handed  it 
to  Miss  Pritchard,  but  looked  at  Edwina. 

While  the  five  stood  thus,  another  small  boat 
approached  the  steamer. 

"  It  is  the  Grand  Duke,  yes,"  said  Luigi ;  and 
the  eyes  of  the  party  became  fixed  on  the  approach- 
ing craft.  They  had  seen  the  Duke  of  Hesse  sev- 
eral times  during  the  last  few  days,  his  Highness' 
villa  being  near  the  Faraglioni.  "  I  knew  that 
they  go  to-day.  I  like  go  to  England.  The  Grand 
Duke  would  take  me  in  his  suite,  but  I  could  not." 

The  boat  drew  near.  It  was  half-full  of  roses, 
and  among  the  blossoms  sat  the  Duke  and  Duchess, 
a  wholesome,  attractive  young  couple,  with  the  lit- 
tle Princess  Elizabeth  and  various  of  their  suite. 
They  entered  the  steamer  by  a  passage  opposite 
the  one  employed  for  the  general  tuaveler,  and  re- 
paired to  a  portion  of  the  upper  deck  which  had 
been  railed  off  for  them. 

"  You  have  had  something  to  do  for  the  Duke, 
then  ?  "  said  Mr.  Remick  to  the  Italian. 

"  I  row  his  boat,  yes." 

Miss  Remick  eagerly  asked  Luigi  to  verify  the 
chief  members  of  the  party,  who  interested  her  no 
more  than  they  did  the  Americans.  Edwina  while 
on  the  island  had  been  told  how  carefully  consid- 
eration for  the  feelings  of  others  had  been  instilled 
by  her  parents  into  the  little  five-year-old  princess, 
whose  nurse  took  her  one  day  to  visit  at  some 
house  where  the  child  played  a  while  with  a  cat. 
When  they  came  away  the  little  girl  put  her  hand 


274       MISS   PBITCHARiyS   WEDDING   TRIP 

to  her  temple,  where  a  deep  scratch  from  a  claw 
was  bleeding.  "  Why  did  n't  you  tell  me  the  cat 
had  hurt  you  ?  "  asked  the  nurse  anxiously.  "  I 
couldn't  without  their  hearing  me,"  replied  the 
little  princess,  for  whom  noblesse  oblige  already 
had  a  meaning. 

Luigi  replied  courteously  to  all  the  questions  of 
the  travelers  concerning  the  ducal  party,  one  of 
whom  was  a  tall  Englishman  who  was  the  Duke's 
constant  companion.  This  individual  caught 
sight  of  Luigi,  and  immediately  advanced  to  him. 
The  travelers  retreated  to  their  seats ;  the  Italian 
brought  his  heels  together  and  removed  his  cap. 

"  Well,  we  're  off,"  said  the  personage  heartily, 
after  exchanging  greetings. 

"Is  the  Grand  Duke  glad  to  go ? " 

"  No  indeed  ;  he 's  sorry.  We  're  all  sorry.  We 
may  come  back  in  August.  Shall  you  be  here 
then?" 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  Do  you  think  of  going  away  before  that  time  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell." 

"  Shall  you  stay  in  Capri  for  a  while,  any  way  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  say." 

The  catechism  proceeded  for  some  time,  to  the 
amusement  of  the  Americans  ;  the  repose  and  sim- 
plicity of  Luigi's  manner  seeming  unchangeable  by 
circumstances.  Evidently  the  boy's  charm  had 
worked  in  this  case  also,  for  the  great  man  of  a 
great  man  shook  hands  with  him  cordially  at  part- 
ing, and  then  Luigi  returned  to  the  Americans. 


FLYING   TRIPS  275 

Edwina  asked  him  concerning  some  of  the  street 
songs  she  had  been  hearing,  and  he  told  her  about 
them,  meanwhile  looking  from  time  to  time  to 
see  if  the  last  boat  were  ready  to  return  to  the 
Marina. 

Mr.  Remick  gave  the  word  at  last.  "Now, 
then,  Luigi,  unless  you  wish  to  go  to  Sorrento." 

The  Italian,  his  cap  off,  shook  hands  with  his 
friends,  and  springing  to  the  stairway,  slid  and 
vaulted  over  the  rail  and  dropped  into  the  small 
boat,  more  like  a  bit  of  thistledown  than  a  man. 

"  My  word !  The  boy  's  half -monkey  !  "  said 
Mr.  Remick. 

"  No,"  laughed  Eunice.  "  Only  wholly  sailor." 
She  and  Edwina  let  their  handkerchiefs  float  to- 
ward the  upright  figure  in  the  boat,  who  was  wav- 
ing one  to  them  as  white  as  that  which  had  origi- 
nally won  Eunice's  heart. 

"  That  young  man  has  associated  all  his  life  with 
nice  people,"  declared  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  Humph !  "  responded  Mr.  Remick.  "  If  every 
woman  who  comes  to  Capri  takes  a  hand  in  spoil- 
ing him,  that  modest  air  of  his  won't  last  long." 

Arrived  at  Sorrento,  it  was  a  strange  sight  to 
see  the  peasant  women  carry  trunks  on  their  heads 
up  the  cliff  side,  the  flights  of  hundreds  of  steps 
proving  severe  exertion  to  unladen  tourists.  The 
hotel  our  travelers  selected  had  a  charming  terrace 
paved  with  blue  tiles  and  shady  with  plum-trees. 
They  sat  there  after  dinner  in  reclining  chairs, 
the  air  faintly  permeated  with  orange  blossoms. 


276      MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Vesuvius,  Capri,  and  Ischia  lay  before  them  in  the 
fine  sunset. 

Edwina  was  thinking,  as  always  when  off  duty, 
of  Champion.  Perhaps  she  sent  her  cousin  a  mind- 
wave,  for  in  a  minute  Eunice  spoke. 

"  I  wonder  if  I  could  give  Mr.  Champion  the 
least  idea  of  what  we  are  seeing?  It  would  be 
something  to  write  about  if  I  could." 

"  He  has  been  here,"  said  Edwina.  "  It  would 
be  enough  simply  to  tell  him  where  we  are." 

Miss  Remick  turned  toward  the  speaker.  "  We 
must  see  the  tarantella  this  evening,  must  n't  we  ? 
You  are  n't  forgetting,  I  hope." 

"  Are  you  coming  with  us,  Mr.  Remick?  "  asked 
Edwina. 

The  old  gentleman  was  sitting  in  his  usual  pos- 
ture, staring  through  the  enchanting  beauty  of  the 
bay  at  whatever  it  was  his  gaze  always  fixed  upon. 

"  It 's  the  same  thing,  I  dare  say.  I  saw  it  five 
years  ago." 

"  Then  don't  disturb  yourself.  We  will  take 
care  of  Miss  Remick.  Cousin  Eunice  and  I  should 
go  by  ourselves  were  we  here  alone." 

But  when  they  started,  Mr.  Remick  followed, 
and  Edwina  fell  back  and  walked  with  him,  as  if 
no  other  plan  had  been  thought  of.  Supposing 
this  tall  form  were  another  —  but  she  must  not 
consider  that. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  anything  less  American 
than  this?"  she  asked,  as  they  moved  through  the 
narrow,  deserted  windings  of  the  streets,  boxed  in 


FLYING   TRIPS  277 

with  irregular  old  houses.  "  Oh,  I  forgot.  You 
don't  know  America.  Well,  is  n't  it  just  like  a 
stage  setting  —  like  an  old  picture  ?  " 

"  Yes,  these  Italian  villages  are  always  remind- 
ing one  of  pictures,  of  course.  Artists  have  been 
at  them  for  generations." 

"  But  it  reminds  me  more  of  grand  opera.  I 
feel  if  I  only  opened  my  mouth  right  here  and 
tried  to  sing,  my  voice  would  sound  like  Emma 
Eames'!" 

"  I  dare  say  you  'd  only  alarm  the  watch." 

The  girl  laughed.  "  I  shan't  sing  without  more 
urging  than  that.  You  need  n't  expect  it." 

"  I  was  n't  urging  you,"  said  the  Englishman 

"  No  —  so  I  understood." 

"  Ow ! " 

"  But,  I  can  tell  you,  I  am  full  of  songs,  —  full 
to  the  brim  of  Italian  street  songs  that  we  have 
heard  at  Naples  and  Capri  and  here.  I  hummed 
one  or  two  to  Luigi,  and  he  told  me  their  names 
and  says  he  will  write  me  the  words  of  one  of  them  ; 
and  to-night  I  heard  a  waiter  whistling  one  after 
dinner,  and  I  rushed  at  the  poor  man  and  asked 
him  what  it  was,  and  that  pretty  little  daughter  of 
the  landlord  came  to  the  rescue.  '  You  do  not 
know  it,  Maria  Mari  ? '  she  said.  '  I  will  make 
you  hear  it  on  the  mandolin.'  And  so  she  did. 
Perhaps  you  heard  her." 

"  Yes,  I  heard  her." 

"  Wasn't  it  pretty?" 

"  Rather  neat,  I  thought." 


278       MISS   PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

Arrived  at  the  Tramontane  hotel,  where  the  tar- 
antella was  danced,  to  Edwina's  great  pleasure  the 
company  gave  several  of  the  characteristic  songs 
that  had  begun  to  haunt  her,  and  she  expressed 
her  enthusiasm  to  Mr.  Remick  with  as  much  aban- 
don as  if  he  had  been  another  schoolgirl.  That 
this  novel  and  extraordinary  treatment  did  not  dis- 
please the  invalid  was  proved  next  morning,  when, 
returning  from  a  stroll  in  the  village,  he  presented 
Edwina  with  a  rolled  bundle,  whose  contents 
proved  to  be  a  collection  of  the  popular  songs  of 
the  day.  Her  surprise  and  pleasure  were  so  gen- 
uine that  he  looked  down  into  her  clear  young  eyes 
with  a  certain  brightness  in  his  own. 

"  I  only  wish  I  could  hear  you  play  them,"  he 
said,  with  such  an  approach  to  graciousness  that 
his  ever-loyal  sister  beamed  upon  him  with  pride 
and  admiration. 

That  evening,  when  they  returned  from  seeing 
the  dance  through  the  narrow  old  streets  to  their 
hotel,  they  found  their  terrace  enchanting.  Venus 
in  a  starry  sky  was  casting  a  track  of  light  across 
the  water,  and  an  occasional  lurid  glow  brightened 
the  smoke  ever  rising  from  Vesuvius  ;  but  the  spot 
was  disenchanted  for  Miss  Pritchard  the  following 
morning  when  an  all-pervasive  bell  clanged  near 
her  window  before  five  o'clock,  and  continued  the 
performance  at  intervals  of  fifteen  minutes.  The 
clamor  disturbed  even  Edwina's  young  dreams,  and 
she  was  prepared  for  Eunice's  prayer  for  a  hasty 
departure. 


FLYING  TRIPS  279 

"  When  I  get  home,"  said  Miss  Pritchard, 
"  I  'm  going  to  ask  to  have  *  Ring  the  bells  of 
Heaven '  struck  out  of  the  hymn  book.  Do  let 
me  hope  for  peace  above  !  " 

"We  might  substitute  'Ring  the  bells  of 
Hades,'  "  suggested  Edwina.  "  I  think  a  gospel 
song  on  that  text  would  make  you  abandon  all 
your  vices,  little  Eunice." 

"  I  'm  sure  of  it !  "  returned  Miss  Pritchard  de- 
voutly. "  Just  supposing  Baedeker  would  indicate 
in  every  town  which  hotel  was  least  disturbed  by 
bells  and  early  street  noises.  It  would  make  the 
fortune  of  certain  landlords,  and  make  coming  to 
Europe  a  dream  of  pleasure.  Ned,  I  think  the 
Remicks  want  to  take  our  drive  with  us." 

"  I  've  been  weighing  that  in  my  mind  ;  and  do 
you  know,  I  'm  such  a  coward  about  Italian  drivers, 
I  should  n't  be  sorry  to  have  them.  Mr.  Remick 
is  an  experienced  traveler,  after  all." 

So  when  later  that  morning  the  old  gentleman 
brought  her  the  music,  Edwina  found  it  the  easier 
to  discuss  with  him  their  prospective  trip.  It  being 
discovered  that  the  luggage  of  four  would  seriously 
over-weight  one  vehicle,  it  turned  out  that  the 
party  set  forth  in  two  landaus,  to  each  of  which 
were  harnessed  three  horses. 

The  landlord  and  his  daughter  kissed  the  travel- 
ers' hands  in  the  graceful  Italian  fashion  and 
wished  them  "  Bon  voyage"  and  in  the  inevitable 
sunshine  the  landaus  rolled  away.  Miss  Pritchard 
had  politely  suggested  that  the  Remicks'  carriage 


280       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

take  precedence  in  case  of  dust  being  raised  which 
otherwise  might  irritate  the  invalid's  "  tubes." 
Mr.  Remick  expressed  laconically  his  appreciation 
of  her  thoughtfulness  and  accepted  the  arrange- 
ment. With  all  his  faults,  he  had  not  the  ordinary 
ones  of  the  chronic  invalid.  He  never  talked  of 
his  aches  and  pains,  never  ostensibly  arranged  for 
his  own  comfort  or  relief,  but  grimly  and  stolidly 
pursued  the  path  of  life  as  one  who  asks  no  favors 
of  Fortune  nor  expects  any. 

Eunice  and  Edwina  could  not  forbear  laughing 
a  little  over  the  probable  good  cheer  inside  the 
forward  carriage.  "  I  only  hope  they  won't  ask 
to  make  any  exchange  of  companions,"  said  Eunice. 
"That  good  soul,  Miss  Remick,  is  beginning  to 
understand  that  you  have  charms  to  soothe  Brer 
B'ar's  savage  breast,  and  what  shall  we  do  if  she 
asks  to  change  part  of  the  way?  " 

"  Oh,  we  can't !  "  exclaimed  Edwina.  "  I  sus- 
pect you  are  going  to  be  more  severely  attacked 
by  poetry  than  in  Wales.  I  can't  have  such  a 
ball  and  chain  attached  to  your  flights  as  Miss 
Remick  would  be.  There  are  limits  to  good  na- 
ture." 

Edwina  had  been  assiired  by  a  German  in 
Capri  that  this  famous  drive  from  Sorrento  to 
Amalfi  and  Salerno  was  "  incomparable  for  beauty 
in  the  whole  world."  The  orange  and  lemon 
groves  of  Sorrento  seemed  illimitable  to  our  trav- 
elers, and  for  an  hour  their  carriage  wound  and 
rose  inland  until  at  last  they  came  again  into  a 


FLYING   TRIPS  281 

road  on  the  brink  of  the  peacock  sea.  Beside  it 
rose  volcanic  mountains,  and  it  wound  so  abruptly 
and  constantly  that  the  changing  vistas  kept  busy 
the  eyes  and  imagination  of  these  beauty  worship- 
ers. Three  and  a  half  hours'  driving  brought 
them  to  Amalfi,  where  they  stopped  at  the  Hotel 
Syrene  on  the  edge  of  the  town.  The  heavy  tide 
surged  at  the  base  of  the  hospitable  little  house 
and  added  to  its  charms  of  cleanliness  and  quiet. 
Moreover,  being  a  trifle  remote  is  in  favor  of  a 
hostelry  in  this  region,  for  it  is  evident  that  Italian 
villages,  like  other  effective  pictures,  were  never 
intended  to  be  smelled  of. 

They  all  stayed  a  few  days  at  Amalfi.  They 
drove  to  lofty  Ravello,  going  slowly  up  beside  the 
Valley  of  the  Mills  and  rejoicing  in  the  views  of 
its  river  and  cascades.  The  universal  drawback 
to  Italian  paradises,  the  beggars,  were  not  espe- 
cially touching  during  these  days.  It  is  under- 
stood among  them  that  any  means  will  suffice  to 
extract  soldi  from  tourists  if  they  are  of  a  giving 
spirit.  The  Italian  babies  beg  before  they  can 
speak  plainly.  A  healthy  mite  clad  in  one  gar- 
ment holds  up  a  tiny  hand  and  says,  "  Tholdi, 
Thignora !  "  quite  as  early  as  an  American  infant 
could  enunciate  "  Mamma  "  and  "  Papa."  Often 
our  travelers  were  amused  to  observe  a  baby  in  a 
second  story  window  look  down  upon  them  as  they 
drove  by  and  make  the  interrogative  as  well  as 
imperative  sign  which  signified  demand.  The 
little  closed  hand  would  go  up,  with  one  finger 


282       MISS  PBITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

raised.  It  was  eloquent  pantomime,  and  meant 
"  One  soldo,"  the  trifling  fact  of  the  impossibility 
of  transferring  the  coin  from  the  moving  carriage 
to  the  upper  floor  of  the  house  not  in  the  least 
affecting  the  gesture  which  followed  mechanically 
on  the  recognition  of  a  tourist.  The  energy  and 
persistency  of  the  athletic  little  beggars  was  sur' 
prising.  Sometimes  they  ran  for  miles  beside  the 
carriage,  their  excuse  at  one  time  being  the  wish 
to  sell  a  small  wilted  nosegay,  at  another  the  offer- 
ing of  an  unfortunate  bird  which,  seized  by  the 
feet,  ineffectually  flapped  its  wings  until,  utterly 
rejected,  it  was  folded  back  into  its  prison  beneath 
a  boy's  jacket. 

"  Indeed  I  won't  buy  the  poor  little  thing,"  said 
Edwina  indignantly.  "  It  would  only  encourage 
them  to  go  and  catch  another  immediately." 

Another  ruse  adopted  by  a  vigorous  little  fellow 
was  to  throw  a  world  of  pathos  into  his  beautiful 
eyes  and  while  racing  beside  the  carriage  to  open 
his  jacket  and  exhibit  his  plump  olive  body.  The 
day  was  warm,  and  his  comfortable  scarcity  of  ap- 
parel elicited  a  smile,  but  no  soldi.  Nevertheless 
there  were  many  occasions  which  won  their  loose 
coin,  and  at  a  journey's  end  they  never  had  a  cop- 
per left.  The  temptation  to  get  rid  of  blots  on 
that  grand  and  uplifting  scenery  is  too  strong  for 
rules  of  conduct. 

On  their  last  morning  in  Amalfi  Mr.  Remick 
declined  to  mount  to  the  Hotel  of  the  Capuchins, 
but  the  others  took  the  long  flights  of  stone  steps 


FLYING   TRIPS  283 

deliberately,  in  consideration  of  Miss  Remick's 
avoirdupois.  A  reason  which  influenced  Eunice 
to  make  haste  as  slowly  as  any  one  pleased  was  the 
number  of  lizards  which  scurried  up  and  down  and 
to  right  and  left  on  the  baked  steps  as  they  ascended 
to  the  old  monastery.  The  garden,  when  they 
reached  it,  proved  worthy  of  all  effort,  and  they 
strolled  happily  between  its  white  columns  where 
rich  vines  screen  one  from  the  sun,  and  looked 
down,  down,  on  the  resplendent  sea,  all  color  and 
light  and  sparkle.  Miss  Remick  insisted  on  mea- 
suring the  clumps  of  daisies  loaded  with  blossoms 
which  grew  like  little  trees  from  a  thick  trunk. 
Finding  them  six  yards  in  circumference,  she  jot- 
ted down  the  fact  in  a  small  note-book,  saying  that 
dear  Edward  would  be  so  interested. 

After  lunch  that  day  the  party  set  forth  for 
Salerno.  The  crucial  moment  which  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  had  apprehended  arrived.  Miss  Remick 
looked  slowly  around  before  they  entered  the  car- 
riages. "  How  would  it  be  to  change  this  after- 
noon," she  suggested,  "  and  let  Miss  Wilder  ride 
with  me  brother  ?  " 

Edwina  had  prepared  for  this  emergency  a  little 
statement  of  her  cousin's  timidity  in  driving,  but 
she  was  not  called  upon  to  use  it.  Mr.  Remick 
waved  his  hand  impatiently  to  his  sister.  "  Get 
in,"  he  said.  "I'll  not  victimize  Miss  Wilder. 
You  know  very  well  I  'm  silent  as  a  post  in  a  car- 
riage." 

"  To  be  sure,  Edward.     Talking  in  any  noise 


284       WSS  PEITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TEIP 

does  distress  your  tubes,  does  n't  it  ?  Now,  I  'm 
never  so  lively  as  when  driving.  I  must  talk." 

"  Humph  !  Well,  I  'm  deaf  as  a  post  too  when 
I  want  to  be  ;  so  it 's  all  right.  I  don't  hear  any- 
thing you  say  ;  "  with  which  brotherly  reassurance 
he  followed  her  into  the  landau,  and  the  Ameri- 
cans mounted  to  their  own,  exulting  over  the  es- 
caped peril. 

"  What  sort  of  things  do  you  suppose  she  says 
all  the  time  ? "  exclaimed  Eunice.  "  Think  of 
three  or  four  hours  of  one  of  nature's  chiefest  pan- 
oramas, with  the  tide  of  the  Mediterranean  on  one 
side  and  her  talk  on  the  other!  I  should  jump 
out,  —  I  know  I  should  !  " 

But  the  roll  of  music,  flattened  so  nicely  in 
Edwina's  suit  case,  was  still  making  her  heart  un- 
usually tender  toward  Mr.  Remick.  That  Satur- 
day evening  in  Salerno  the  street  was  nearly  equal 
to  a  carnival  in  crowd  and  gayety.  Edwina  pro- 
posed to  Mr.  Remick  that  they  study  human  na- 
ture abroad  rather  than  attempt  the  impossible  in 
endeavoring  to  sleep  before  midnight ;  and  he 
actually  sallied  forth  with  her  on  the  crowded 
Quai  and  scowled  forbiddingly  at  the  handsome 
officers  who  stared  approvingly  at  the  tall,  fair 
American  girl,  while  she  chatted  to  him  gayly. 

His  responses  were  mostly  confined  to  "  Really !  " 
"  I  dare  say  !  "  "  My  word !  "  "  Ow  !  "  but  they 
served  to  prove  that  in  this  case  the  old  gentleman 
did  not  take  refuge  in  deafness  ;  and  he  vouch- 
safed afterward  to  his  sister  that  no  one  could  be 
dull  where  Miss  Wilder  was. 


FLYING   TRIPS  285 

The  following  morning  a  very  short  view  of  the 
Cathedral  sufficed  our  party,  while  the  evil  smells 
of  the  inland  streets  caused  them  to  hasten  with 
alacrity  to  the  station  to  take  the  train  for 
Paestum. 

How  still,  how  clear  and  lovely  was  that  Sunday 
morning  at  Paestum,  —  late  enough  in  the  season 
to  have  let  the  tide  of  tourists  sweep  by  and  on  ! 
Leaving  the  train,  the  quartette  strolled  out  to  the 
green  field  where  stand  the  ruined  temples  by  the 
sea.  Between  their  columns  gleamed  the  green 
water,  and  the  summit  of  each  ancient  pillar  had 
become  a  natural  hanging  basket,  brimming  over 
with  vines  and  flowers  that  waved  softly  beneath 
the  cloudless  sky.  They  were  alone  but  for  a  few 
persistent  children,  whom  bribes  at  last  induced  to 
leave  them  in  peace. 

The  altars  and  steps  of  the  temples  offered  an 
embarrassment  of  riches  in  the  way  of  seats  and 
stony  couches  where  one  might  dream,  level  with 
the  responsive,  sighing  tide.  "  I  should  like  to 
come  here  by  moonlight  with  "  —  thought  Edwina, 
so  intently  that  she  feared  for  a  moment  she  might 
have  spoken.  She  glanced  about  her  furtively. 
Her  companions  were  absorbed,  each  one  sepa- 
rately. She  gave  a  little  sigh  of  thankfulness  and 
sank  down  on  the  stone  at  the  foot  of  a  pillar.  "  It 
is  nearly  time  for  me  to  write  to  him,"  she  reflected 
with  a  wave  of  joy. 

A  couple  of  days  afterward  at  Pompeii,  when 
Miss  Pritchard  had  yielded  to  Miss  Remick's 


286       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

desire  to  make  a  second  visit  to  the  ruins,  Edwina 
seized  her  opportunity. 

MY  DEAR  [she  wrote]  :  I  have  as  many  things 
as  ever  to  thank  you  for,  first  for  writing  the 
little  note  to  cousin  Eunice  at  Capri.  I  read 
between  its  lines,  and  I  assure  you  I  always  shall, 
and,  as  I  promised,  will  write  you  twice  every 
month  until  the  circumstances  change.  Your  gen- 
erosity in  yielding  to  my  wishes  makes  me  [here 
the  writer  bit  her  pen  for  a  hesitating  minute  ; 
finally  she  continued  ]  I  must  n't  say  one  half  the 
things  to  you  that  are  in  my  mind,  —  no,  in  my 
heart ;  for  I  am  afraid  they  will  make  you  answer 
me.  Cousin  Eunice  is  so  happy,  I  want  to  forget 
that  Edwina  Wilder  has  any  wishes  until  we  get 
on  the  ship  to  go  home.  Don't  you  think  if  I 
make  my  letters  merely  friendly  and  commonplace, 
it  will  be  easier  for  you  ?  If  so,  please  say  in  your 
next  to  cousin  Eunice  that  the  weather  is  pleasant. 
But  if  you  wish  me  to  express  more,  and  are  sure 
you  will  keep  your  part  of  the  compact,  just  men- 
tion that  the  weather  is  bad,  and  I  shall  under- 
stand. It  hurts  me  to  keep  a  secret  from  cousin 
Eunice,  but  it  would  hurt  worse  to  cloud  this  fes- 
tive time  she  is  having  after  such  long  dull  years 
of  loneliness.  One  hint,  and  all  my  care  would  go 
for  nothing.  Remember,  "  Of  the  unspoken  word 
you  are  master.  The  spoken  word  is  master  of 
you."  But  what  a  prosy  friend  you  will  consider 
me! 


FLYING   TRIPS  287 

How  I  wish  you  were  here !  That  is  what  I 
think  in  each  new  place ;  and  yet  I  would  n't  have 
you  come  for  anything.  Yesterday  we  went  through 
the  strange  resurrected  city  with  its  miniature 
houses.  It  is  in  keeping  with  our  usual  good  for- 
tune that  Vesuvius  is  in  eruption.  The  rocks  that 
are  flying  in  the  air  keep  up  a  sullen  booming  as 
of  artillery.  The  noise  added  considerable  realism 
to  going  through  the  ruins  yesterday.  It  was  as 
if  the  mountain  were  saying  :  "I  can  do  it  again  if 
I  like."  When  evening  came  we  went  down  the 
road  in  the  moonlight  to  a  spot  where  the  view  was 
unobstructed,  and  the  sight  was  really  fearful  and 
wonderful.  The  hotel  proprietor  was  with  us,  and 
he  bade  us  remember  that  the  stones  we  saw  rising 
were  in  reality  large  rocks.  The  crater  measures 
four  hundred  and  fifty  feet  across,  and  it  was 
alive  with  flame,  .while  these  red-hot  rocks  flew  up 
toward  the  sky  in  a  fountain  and  with  a  sound 
of  cannonading  as  they  struck  together  and  fell 
apart  in  streams  of  fire.  The  Remicks  are  with 
us,  and  Miss  Remick  concluded  that  London  was  a 
very  nice,  safe  place.  Nevertheless  she  and  cousin 
Eunice  have  gone  among  the  ruins  again  to-day, 
giving  me  blessed  time  to  write  a  word  to  you. 

I  believe  cousin  Eunice  told  you  of  our  hand- 
some Italian  boy,  Luigi,  who  interested  us  so  much 
at  Capri.  We  have  both  written  him  a  word. 
The  picture  post-cards  make  such  an  easy  way  of 
sending  a  message.  You  have  taken  the  drive  we 
did, so  I  needn't  say  anything  about  it  except  that 


288       MISS   PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

the  weather  was  good.  Your  memory  will  do  the 
rest.  I  wished  for  you  every  minute  —  but  that  is 
one  of  the  things  I  am  not  to  say,  unless  you  are 
having  unpleasant  weather ! 

Keep  well  and  happy  until  I  write  again. 

[The  girl  paused  once  more  to  meditate  upon 
the  form  of  ending  to  her  epistle.  She  considered 
all  the  conventional  and  friendly  methods,  and  one 
by  one  her  heart  pronounced  against  them.  Was 
it  not  ungenerous  to  demand  Champion's  silence, 
and  then  give  him  less  than  would  satisfy  him  if 
he  could  claim  his  rights  ?  She  clasped  both  hands 
over  her  rosy  cheeks  and  looked  seriously  at  the 
written  page.  "If  I  cannot  marry  him  I  shall 
marry  no  one,  so  why  not  ?  "  she  asked  herself, 
then  with  steady  hand  signed  :] 

Your  EDWINA. 

She  had  addressed  and  stamped  the  envelope 
when  Miss  Pritchard  and  her  friend  entered  the 
room.  She  slid  the  letter  beneath  some  paper. 
Mr.  Remick  came  in  and  stood  about  a  while  listen- 
ing to  their  talk,  then  started  forth,  announcing 
his  intention  of  taking  a  walk.  The  girl  followed 
him  into  the  hall. 

"  Ned,  I  have  n't  told  you  about  this  new  house 
we  found,"  called  Eunice. 

"  Yes,  I  'm  coming  right  back  ;  "  then  softly 
accosting  Mr.  Remick :  "  Would  you  mind  mail- 
ing this  letter  as  you  go  out  ?  " 


FLYING   TRIPS  289 

Mr.  Remick  regarded  the  envelope.  "  Doing 
what  ?  What  is  it  you  wish  ?  " 

"  Oh,  just  mail  it !  "  said  the  girl  hurriedly. 
"  But  never  mind,  if  you  're  not  going  that  way." 
She  slipped  the  missive  back  into  the  folds  of  her 
dress. 

"  Post  it,  do  you  mean  ?  "  Why  could  n't  you 
say  so,  then  ?  Give  it  me  ;  I  '11  post  it,  certainly." 
So  this  strange  Cupid's  messenger  stalked  off  with 
the  precious  bit  of  paper,  and  Edwina  returned 
with  a  beating  heart  to  listen  to  tales  of  Pompeian 
pottery. 


CHAPTER  XVH 

FAREWELL   TO   ITALY 

THE  Eemicks  continued  with  their  American 
friends  as  far  as  Florence,  and  they  all  found 
rooms  on  the  Lung  Arno,  and  spent  one  week 
together  in  this  jewel  casket  of  a  city  before  the 
English  people  said  farewell.  Miss  Remick  shed  a 
few  tears  at  parting. 

"  It 's  very  tiresome  growing  fond  of  people  and 
then  never  seeing  them  again,"  she  said. 

"  But  how  can  we  ever  be  sure  of  that  ?  "  Miss 
Pritchard  reminded  her.  "  We  thought  we  had 
parted  in  Cannes,  you  remember,  and  see  what  a 
long,  pleasant  trip  we  have  had  together." 

Miss  Remick  wiped  her  eyes,  but  shook  her 
head.  "  Me  brother's  tubes  will  never  permit  him 
to  go  to  the  States ;  but  if  you  should  come  to 
England  again  you  '11  not  forget  us,  will  you  ?  " 

"  We  shall  not  forget  you  in  any  case,"  said 
Edwina,  whose  smooth  hand  was  clasping  Mr. 
Remick's  wooden  fingers  as  she  spoke.  "  I  shall 
think  of  you  every  time  I  play  those  songs,  and  I 
hope  you  may  grow  stronger  very  soon,"  she 
added,  looking  up  at  him. 

"  Ay,   hope    is   a  good   thing,"  responded  Mr. 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  291 

Remick  stoically.  "  You  '11  let  us  know  when  you 
get  to  the  other  side,  I  dare  say." 

"  I  shall  write  to  you  immediately,"  answered 
the  girl. 

A  little  later  Eunice  and  Edwina  were  again 
alone,  and  rejoicing  as  usual  in  this  independence. 

Florence  was  enchanting  in  the  latter  part  of 
May.  The  river  was  still  full  from  profuse  rains, 
the  cypresses  dark  and  slender  on  the  heights,  and 
the  irregular  old  cream-colored  houses  made  grace- 
ful sky-lines.  Edwina  drove  with  Eunice  beneath 
the  giant  trees  of  the  Cascine  and  listened  to  the 
wild  melody  of  the  black-caps,  and  strolled  with 
her  in  the  Boboli  Gardens,  where  bird-songs  fluted 
through  the  leafy  glades.  She  took  her  cousin  up 
through  rose-laden  roads  to  Fiesole,  and  exulted 
with  her  over  the  speckless  greenness  of  foliage 
and  the  breadth  of  views. 

In  return  Eunice  accompanied  Edwina  on  pil- 
grimages to  see  fifteenth  century  frescoes,  faded 
and  inaccessible  except  by  putting  one's  neck  to 
the  torture,  and  kept  her  opinion  of  them  to  her- 
self. They  took  plenty  of  time  for  the  galleries, 
where  Eunice  felt  no  need  of  Symonds,  Berenson, 
or  any  one  else  to  assist  her  in  selecting  the  pic- 
tures really  worth  seeing,  and  having  chosen  her 
favorites,  held  to  them  loyally,  with  no  interest  as 
to  whether  they  were  lacking  in  a  dimension. 
Edwina  pointed  out  to  her  in  Santa  Maria  Novella 
a  Madonna  and  Child  of  Cimabue,  and  read  to  her 
what  was  said  of  the  utter  joy  in  its  beauty  which 


292       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

greeted  its  completion  ;  how  the  populace  had 
borne  the  picture  through  the  streets  with  public 
rejoicings,  and  told  her  that  the  name  of  that 
street  to  this  day  is  "  The  Way  of  Gladness." 
Miss  Pritchard  only  shook  her  head  and  clicked 
her  tongue  as  she  gazed  at  the  crooked  face  and 
long  fingers  of  the  Virgin.  "  Were  n't  they  easily 
pleased  !  "  she  said. 

Eunice  soon  received  another  letter  from  Howard 
Champion.  He  was  at  Innsbruck  now,  and  had 
been  taking  some  interesting  pedestrian  trips  in 
the  bracing  air.  Miss  Pritchard,  her  eye-glasses 
well  down  on  her  nose,  skimmed  through  the  letter 
in  silence,  while  Edwina  sat  near  doing  some 
mending  and  putting  in  staggering  stitches  while 
she  waited,  which  would  all  have  to  be  ripped  out. 

"  WThy,  the  poor  fellow  is  having  the  most  awful 
weather ! "  said  Eunice  at  last,  still  reading. 
Edwina  pricked  her  finger.  "  Why  —  I  never 
heard  anything  like  it !  It 's  unsafe  for  him  to 
walk  in  such  a  place  !  Such  furious  hailstorms 
might  cause  landslides  in  such  a  mountainous 
region  !  And  how  strange  to  have  thunder  and 
lightning  at  the  same  time.  Well,  well,  I  don't  won- 
der it 's  depressing.  Listen  :  '  Weather  does  n't 
usually  affect  me,  but  this  excessive  riot  of  the 
elements  gets  on  my  nerves,  to  quote  Miss  Rem- 
ick.  I  actually  feel  as  if  some  compensation  were 
due  me.'  He  hopes  we  're  enjoying  ourselves. 
Here  it  is,"  holding  the  sheet  across  to  Edwina, 
who  took  it  with  an  eager  hand.  "  Dear  me," 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  293 

sighed  Miss  Pritchard,  *'  I  wish  I  could  write  as 
good  a  letter  as  he  does.  By  the  way,  Ned,  you  've 
quite  given  up  writing  of  late.  I  don't  see  why 
you  should  n't  answer  this  instead  of  my  doing  it. 
It  is  such  a  cross  for  me  to  write  a  letter." 

The  girl  did  not  answer.  One  cheek  leaned  in 
her  hand  as  she  read,  and  that  volume  between  the 
lines  so  filled  her  consciousness  that  she  did  not 
trust  herself  to  speak.  , 

"  I  shall  look  in  the  papers  and  see  if  I  can 
find  something  about  those  storms,"  pursued 
Eunice.  "  It  must  have  been  a  perfect  convulsion 
of  nature  up  there.  Had  n't  you  just  as  lief  write 
him  a  little  note,  Ned  ?  " 

"  I  'd  rather  you  did  it,  if  you  don't  mind.  I 
was  planning  to  write  a  number  of  letters  to-mor- 
row. I  have  neglected  my  friends  a  good  while, 
and  now  we  shall  have  to  write  Luigi  too.  Here 
is  an  epistle  from  him  to  us  both."  Edwina 
laughed,  glad  of  an  outlet  for  her  emotion.  "  You 
might  read  it  aloud.  It  was  addressed  to  me,  so  I 
opened  it ;  but  I  wonder  if  he  thinks  my  last  name 
came  first  on  the  envelope,  just  as  his  does  on  his 
card  !  " 

Eunice  took  the  closely-written  sheet  of  paper 
and  read  as  follows  :  — 

DEARS  MY,  —  Very  glad  to  received  your  kind 
letter  from  Amalfi,  and  very  sorry  that  haven't 
been  there  with  you.  Do  you  tell  me  what  have 
seen  the  Tarantella  at  Sorrento,  and  many  other 


294       MISS  PKITCHABD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

things.  I  send  you  the  song  written,  but  of  course 
am  I  not  the  clevverest  of  the  language  in  Eng- 
lish. 

Dear  Miss  Edwina  and  Mrs.  Eunice,  I  write 
you  both  because  I  saw  also  you  both  are  kind. 
It  is  very  sad  for  me  to  remain  in  Capri  without 
English  friends.  Of  course  I  have  known  you, 
and  now  you  are  run  away  and  who  know  when 
we  shall  see  again  ! 

Dears  mine,  the  fourteenth  is  in  Capri  a  grand 
fest,  and  many  people  come  in  Capri.  I  should 
have  had  you  also  with  me. 

I  am  glad  that  you  are  happy  to  see  all,  and 
well.  Also  my  mother  she  is  well,  thank  you  very 
much  what  want  know  about  her.  Thank  you  also 
that  both  are  sitting  to  write  to  me,  much  obliged 
to  you  ;  but  Luigi  will  not  forget  the  friends  what 
he  has  known. 

Dear  Wilder,  I  wrote  you  a  post  card  and  also 
to  Mrs.  Eunice,  for  Luigi  should  never  like  to 
leave  his  friends  without  writting.  Don't  forgetten 
to  write  me  soon  as  possible,  that  I  expect  your 
letter.  Miss  Edwina  said  that  both  were  sitting 
to  read,  but  I  am  alone  to  think  of  you,  is  indeed. 
Am  I  very  glad  if  you  will  understand  the  song, 
and  I  will  just  remain  like  that  with  kindly  re- 
guards  to  both,  with  good  salute  and  prosperity. 

So  Miss  Edwina  and  Mrs.  Pritchard,  with  the 
best  respect  a  shake  hands, 

Your  subordinate 

S.  LUIGI. 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  295 

On  the  last  page  of  the  sheet  were  the  lines  of 
the  song.  Luigi  had  headed  these  : 

TRADUCTION. 
Open  the  window, 
Let  me  smooth  (plane)  your  hair. 
How  much  sleep  that  I  lose  for  you, 
Don't  found  a  hour  of  peace, 
The  night  I  make  a  day  ever. 
Open  little  bit  of  the  window, 
With  the  little  hand  a  sign  to  me  she  make. 
Sound  the  gitar, 
My  lady  she  wake  up, 

A  beautiful  serenade  let  her  hear  (sentire). 
In  the  middle  of  these  little  garden 
A  bed  with  heap  of  roses  have  I  make  for  you. 
Come,  that  the  night  is  sweet, 
The  sky  that  is  a  mantle, 
You  sleep  and  I  sing 
The  lullaby  side  (by)  you. 
The  night  is  quite  (serene)  after  the  storm, 
And  the  air  fresh  appear  already. 

In  tiny  script  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  were 
written  the  words,  "  Addio,  Wilder.  Addio  to 
Mrs.  Eunice." 

In  another  fortnight  Eunice  and  Edwina  were 
listening  to  the  songs  on  the  lagoons  in  Venice. 
When  Miss  Pritchard  made  the  appalling  discov- 
ery that  within  the  confines  of  this  poetical  city 
night  begins  in  the  small  hours  and  ends  before 
they  are  half-grown,  she  relinquished  a  large,  fine 
room  on  the  Grand  Canal  to  Edwina  and  fled  to 
an  attic  chamber  looking  on  the  garden  and  the 
stars.  After  they  had  come  in  from  their  evening 
ride  in  a  gondola  the  girl  would  sit  in  her  window 


296       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TRIP 

and  listen  to  the  untiring  music  in  the  lantern- 
lighted  boats  and  watch  the  mysterious  red  and 
green  reflections  in  the  water  as  far  up  and  down 
as  the  eye  could  reach,  and  best  of  all,  the  quiver- 
ing grays  that  trembled  in  the  lagoon  beneath  the 
saints  and  angels  on  the  Church  of  Santa  Maria 
della  Salute,  which  was  straight  across  from  her 
balcony.  A  certain  letter  that  she  wrote  from  there 
must  have  melted  all  the  hail  in  the  Tyrol. 

As  soon  as  Eunice  proved  that  she  had  found  a 
place  where  she  could  sleep,  she  gave  herself  up  to 
the  delights  of  this  Queen  of  the  Adriatic.  What 
a  rest  it  was  never  to  hear  the  crack  of  a  whip  or 
to  see  an  ill-treated  animal !  What  a  luxury  to 
call  a  gondola  instead  of  a  cab  and  float  about  to 
the  clmrches  and  galleries  ! 

As  everywhere,  Eunice  and  Edwina  had  each 
her  favorite  pastime.  The  former's  was  decidedly 
feeding  the  pigeons  in  the  piazza,  and  when  finally 
persuaded  therefrom  in  the  interests  of  art  or  hun- 
ger she  would  purchase  a  last  paper  of  "  ble  potir 
les  pigeons  "  and,  trailing  the  contents  after  he:", 
would  succeed  as  well  as  the  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin 
in  attracting  a  procession  of  small  followers.  Ed- 
wina's  delight  was  to  add  hers  to  the  concourse  of 
gondolas  which  by  night  made  a  black  platform 
across  the  Grand  Canal  surrounding  some  favorite 
serenade-boat,  where  the  big  dramatic  voices  so 
common  in  Italy  made  amusing  the  remembrance 
of  many  feeble  pipes  carefully  nurtured  and  culti- 
vated at  home.  Thus  evening  after  evening  in  the 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  297 

dusk  of  the  lagoon,  a  crowd  of  glinting,  polished 
battle-axes  rose  and  fell  on  the  rhythmic  waves 
under  a  yellow  moon,  while  the  full  voices  vibrated 
down  the  water  ways,  accompanying  Edwina's 
dreams. 

Miss  Pritchard  was  not  slow  to  find  the  public 
garden,  vocal  as  a  cage  of  singing  birds,  and  de- 
lighting her  with  its  loaded  rose-trees  twenty  feet 
in  height.  Her  thrifty  New  England  sense  was 
offended  by  the  peeling  frescoes  on  the  old  weather- 
beaten  palaces,  that  look  in  their  blackness  as  if 
snowed  upon  in  patches ;  but  she  soon  found  that 
Edwina  considered  it  heresy  to  observe  anything 
except  their  rich  carvings  ;  and  if  in  a  narrow 
liquid  street  an  undeniably  bad  odor  assailed  her, 
she  learned  to  swallow  her  objections  and  wait  for 
the  fresh  salt  breeze  which  as  soon  as  they  emerged 
into  the  Grand  Canal  would  sweep  in  from  the  sea, 
filling  the  red  sails  and  fluttering  the  gondoliers' 
ribbons.  She  liked  to  wander  about  the  city 
through  the  narrow  alleys,  or  where  the  plate  glass 
windows  come  down  to  one's  feet  in  the  streets  de- 
void of  vehicles.  The  glitter  of  the  piazza  of  St. 
Mark's  at  night,  its  rich  shop  windows  dazzlingly 
lighted,  quite  intoxicated  Eunice,  who  would  have 
spent  the  remainder  of  their  letter  of  credit  among 
them  if  Edwina  would  have  allowed  it. 

Their  evening  usually  ended  with  an  ice  at  Flo- 
rian's  and  watching  the  changing  crowds  who  lis- 
tened to  the  orchestra  in  the  "  open  air  ball-room  " 
of  the  piazza  ;  and  when  the  time  came  for  them 


298       MISS  PEITCHARD'S   WEDDING  TEIP 

reluctantly  to  resume  their  journeyings,  they  found 
that  no  spot  had  held  them  with  such  a  potent  spell 
as  Venice.  With  their  quattro  pieces  of  hand- 
luggage  they  entered  a  gondola,  and  for  the  last 
time  stole  around  the  liquid  windings,  past  battered, 
peeling  walls  and  stately  palaces  to  the  Stazione. 
Eunice  looked  solemnly  at  swaying  vines  and 
graceful  bridges. 

"  Cheer  up,"  said  Edwina.  "  You  will  come 
back  again." 

"  Never  !  "  returned  Miss  Pritchard  tragically. 
"  I  'm  an  old  woman,  Ned." 

"  You  're  a  blessed  little  goose,"  laughed  the 
girl  irreverently  ;  and  the  gondolier  hoped  it  was 
the  merry  one  who  was  going  to  pay  him,  and  not 
the  lady  whose  grief  might  make  her  absent- 
minded. 

Eunice  did  cheer  up  that  very  evening  as  they 
stood  together  by  the  cathedral  at  Milan.  The 
sky  was  still  blue,  although  the  sun  had  set,  and 
as  Eunice  and  Edwina  approached  the  vast  build- 
ing, its  beauty  was  unearthly,  the  hundreds  of 
snowy  spires  seeming  too  airy  to  be  aught  but  a 
vision  of  light. 

The  next  place  where  they  made  any  stay  was 
at  Tremezzo  on  Lake  Co  mo.  Here  thick  woods 
grew  up  to  the  back  windows  of  their  villa,  which 
was  on  the  border  of  the  lake.  A  terrace  built 
over  the  water  contained  easy  chairs  and  was 
screened  by  thick  and  delicate  vines  whose  tassels 
hung  and  swayed  from  the  trellises  above.  Hawks 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  299 

wheeled  lazily  over  the  water,  and  from  the  oppo- 
site shore  rose  mountains  tier  on  tier,  the  highest 
patched  with  snow.  The  moon  rose  behind  these 
hills  that  night,  making  a  scene  of  soft  splendor ; 
yet  these  ungrateful  Americans  talked  low  of  Ven- 
ice, and  when  some  strolling  singers  stopped  under 
the  trees  and  sang  "  O  Carmela,"  the  moon  grew 
dim  to  Edwina.  However,  thanks  to  Mr.  Remick, 
"  O  Carmela "  was  her  own  now.  She  felt  con- 
scious that  these  tears  were  not  all  for  Venice,  and 
disciplined  herself  by  immediately  beginning  to 
talk. 

"  If  I  want  to  weep  over  '  Carmela  '  when  I  get 
home,  won't  it  be  a  nice  antidote  to  think  of  the 
Remicks !  Are  you  glad  they  're  not  with  us  here, 
little  Eunice  ?  " 

Miss  Pritchard  sighed  contentedly.  "  I  'm  never 
less  alone  than  when  alone  with  you,  Ned." 

"  That 's  what  the  French  call  '  solitude  a 
deux, '  "  remarked  Edwina. 

"  I  just  call  it  nice.     It 's  less  trouble." 

"  Oh  yes,  it 's  nice,"  agreed  the  girl,  swallowing 
a  sigh  which  threatened  to  grow  into  something 
more.  She  had  tried  that  solitude  a  deux  as  yet 
but  twice  :  two  minutes  in  St.  Cecilia's  tomb  and 
three  minutes  in  the  Colosseum  ;  yet  those  minutes 
stood  up  like  mountain  peaks  in  the  panorama  of 
her  short  life.  Dangerous  thoughts !  She  hurried 
on. 

"  I  wonder  if  the  Remicks  have  reached  Eng- 
land, and  if  Miss  Remick  has  her  own  tea  again  ? 


300       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

What  a  time  she  had  at  Capri  after  her  tea 
gave  out !  How  funny  she  was  at  the  table  any- 
way. She  was  always  saying  that  the  mutton 
tasted  sheepy  ;  and  then  the  peas !  Do  you  remem- 
ber how  she  always  hoped  they  were  fresh  ?  '  It 's 
so  disappointing  to  find  them  bottled,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

Miss  Pritchard  laughed  at  Edwina's  imitation  of 
the  husky  voice. 

Eunice  had  her  fill  of  flowers,  vines,  and  trees 
now  in  the  Italian  June.  The  wistaria  and  rose 
vines,  the  oleander-trees,  as  well  as  the  magnolia 
and  laurel,  kept  her  busy  examining  and  marvel- 
ing. Then  she  and  Edwina  took  walks  beside  the 
lake  under  ancient  plane-trees  whose  boughs  roofed 
the  road,  and  looked  at  the  picturesque  villas. 
These  princely  homes  were  set  on  the  hillside. 
Their  terraces,  groves,  fountains,  and  festooned 
garlands  of  roses  resembled  the  engravings  of  the 
Celestial  City  in  Miss  Pritchard's  old  copy  of 
"  Pilgrim's  Progress." 

After  a  week  of  this  dolcefar  niente,  the  trav- 
elers sailed  on  to  Lugano.  Daylight  lasted  now 
until  after  nine  o'clock,  and  they  dined  in  their 
hotel  garden  near  a  giant  pine-tree  whose  trunk 
measured  twenty-one  feet  in  circumference.  Its 
symmetry  and  height  were  so  perfect,  tapering 
from  a  grand  width  to  a  point,  that  Miss  Pritchard 
could  scarcely  eat.  The  hotel  was  built  into  the 
lake's  edge,  and  it  reminded  Edwina  of  Venice  to 
be  able  to  lean  from  her  window  and  look  down 
into  the  water.  It  was  clear  as  glass,  and  large 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  301 

fish  swam  directly  below.  Planets  rose  behind  the 
hills  and  sent  quivering  lights  across  the  lake,  and 
the  girl  forgot  to  go  to  bed. 

Eunice,  being  less  romantically  inclined,  would 
have  been  glad  to  sleep,  but  her  room  had  the  dis- 
comfort so  general  in  foreign  lands  of  a  door  com- 
municating with  the  neighboring  one.  The  latter 
was  occupied  by  a  couple  of  portly  women  whom 
Eunice  had  noticed  at  dinner.  She  had  been 
many  times  astonished  during  her  wanderings  by 
the  naivete",  if  not  selfishness,  of  talkative  couples 
in  these  rooms  with  a  tell-tale  door  ;  and  as  she  lay 
to-night  wearily  and  unwillingly  listening  to  the 
preferences  of  these  Boston  ladies  regarding  their 
underwear,  the  only  thing  that  cheered  her  was  the 
reflection  that  their  auditor  might  as  easily  have 
been  a  man  as  her  little  sleepy  self. 

Eunice  and  Edwina  made  the  enchanting  trip 
up  lakes  Lugano  and  Maggiore  to  Isola  Bella 
and  Stresa,  then  back  to  Lugano,  whence  they 
started  for  Munich.  This  day  on  which  they  took 
a  reluctant  leave  of  Italy  was  a  memorable  one  to 
Miss  Pritchard  in  its  natural  beauty.  The  drive 
up  to  the  station  amid  long  hedges  of  honeysuckle 
and  magnolia-trees  in  full  bloom  strained  her  loy- 
alty, in  the  first  place,  to  her  native  land.  Then 
came  the  wonderful  ride  through  the  pass  of  St. 
Gothard,  sometimes  up  among  the  snow  mountains, 
sometimes  amid  the  luxuriant  foliage  of  June  that 
made  the  foam  of  the  measureless  waterfalls  and 
dashing  torrents  dazzlingly  white  in  contrast.  Any- 


302       MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING   TRIP 

thing  so  grand  Eunice  had  never  seen,  and  once 
having  been  for  minutes  reduced  to  speechlessness 
by  the  transporting  panorama,  she  leaned  solemnly 
toward  Edwina  and  declared  :  — 

"  I  am  having  to  say  patriotic  hymns  !  " 

They  alighted  at  Zurich  for  a  day,  then  went  on 
to  Munich,  where  their  letters  awaited  them. 
There  was  one  for  Miss  Pritchard  from  Howard 
Champion.  She  read  it  when  they  had  returned 
to  their  hotel,  while  Edwina  sat  by  burning  with 
impatience,  her  eyes  unseeingly  scanning  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Glenn. 

At  last  Eunice  gave  an  exclamation.  "  I  do 
think  it's  the  queerest  thing  for  such  a  great, 
strong  fellow  as  Mr.  Champion  to  think  so  much 
about  the  weather  !  This  is  one  hymn  of  praise 
about  it,  just  as  the  last  was  all  complaints.  I 
should  have  expected  him  to  be  a  little  less  put  to 
it  for  subjects  to  write  about.  He  's  been  to  Ober- 
ammergau  too." 

"  What  does  he  say  ?  " 

"  He  enjoyed  it  wonderfully.  I  '11  let  you  read 
it  in  a  minute.  He  says  he  is  glad  you  engaged 
our  accommodations  so  long  ago,  for  the  rush  is 
enormous.  Here  it  is,"  passing  Edwina  the  letter. 

The  girl  bowed  her  head  over  the  sheet  so  that 
its  shining  waves  were  presented  at  Miss  Pritchard, 
who,  however,  had  opened  the  second  letter,  which 
bore  an  Italian  stamp  and  was  from  their  new 
correspondent.  He  had  sent  them  several  com- 
munications, to  which  they  had  responded.  Ed- 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  303 

wiiia  dwelt  as  long  as  she  dared  on  Champion's 
strong  handwriting,  but  looked  up  when  Eunice 
after  a  while  remarked  that  they  had  another  letter 
from  "  The  Beauty." 

"  It  is  to  us  both  again,"  she  said.  "  I  '11  read 
it ;  and  here  is  a  pressed  pansy  he  has  enclosed." 

DEARS  MY,  —  I  am  so  glad  to  received  your 
kind  letter,  which  you  said  that  have  not  got  my 
letter.  Very  displeased  ;  because  I  don't  remem- 
ber so  many  things  as  I  did  before.  I  have  written 
in  those  letter  that  we  have  had  one  of  our  brother 
lost  in  the  Transval  dead.  Perhaps  I  told  you 
when  you  were  in  Capri  I  had  a  brother  in  the 
Transval;  of  course  can  you  think  how  painful 
about  my  mother  the  affliction  that  she  had,  also 
my  sisters  and  brothers.  There  are  six  weeks  go 
that  he  is  dead,  and  my  mother  she  is  still  in  lam- 
entation (tears)  always  with  her  son  and  forever 
she  cry ;  she  has  been  indisposed  for  her  son  she 
saise  always.  I  did  n't  seen  him  from  two  years 
and  he  is  dead. 

Dears  mine,  so  displeased  at  home,  am  sorry  to 
give  you  sad  news,  but  the  God  he  desire  so,  we 
must  be  glad  is  indeed. 

Well,  Miss  Wilder,  I  wish  you  well  and  also  the 
kind  Mrs.  Eunice,  all  in  good  health,  and  I  hope 
you  don't  forget  to  remember  always  aboxit  Luigi, 
and  I  pray  you  also,  dear  Wilder,  so  much  indeed 
to  send  me  your  fotograph,  yours  and  Mrs.  Pritch- 
ard,  because  I  like  so  much  to  have  them  in  my 


304       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

house.  I  will  hope  that  you  don't  used  displeased 
about  my  demand  because  with  those  kodak  you 
get  mine  and  can  you  see  Luigi  near  you,  but  I 
cannot  see  you.  Of  course,  please,  Miss  Wilder, 
sent  them  to  me. 

Dear  Miss  Edwina,  how  should  be  happy  to  see 
your  sweet  fingers  when  you  plai  the  piano  with  all 
the  Italian  songs.  The  best  melody  it  is  the  piano 
what  I  like,  spacialy  when  a  lady  she  sing.  I 
did  n't  know  that  when  you  were  in  Capri  that  you 
know  about  the  piano ;  well,  I  hope  that  come 
again  in  Capri  and  I  will  see  your  light  fingers 
when  they  plai,  and  I  will  also  sing  "0  sole  wu'o," 
and  "  Maria  Marl" 

I  am  very  glad  to  received  your  nice  letter  from 
Lago  di  Como.  I  was  afraid  you  is  n't  wrote  me  ; 
but  you  said  you  went  in  Venice  and  with  moon- 
light you  went  out ;  so  disappointed  to  be  not  there 
with  a  gondola  all  gathered,  so  sorry  not  be  with 
you  every  places. 

Did  you  have  taken  any  bath  in  Italy  in  Capri, 
the  water  is  so  splendid,  so  warm  clear  very  beau- 
tiful, but  not  many  people  are  here,  so  few.  I 
wanted  go  some  away,  and  I  went  to  Sorrento  with 
a  Germany  family,  they  were  so  kind  with  me  I  told 
them  if  they  won't  take  out  me  in  Germany  and 
they  said  we  could  not,  so  of  course  I  have  thought 
to  remain  in  Capri  another  year  and  after,  I  go 
away  if  I  don't  found  anything ;  but  if  you  write 
me  for  always  I  will  let  you  know  all.  Dear  Sig- 
norina,  let  me  know  in  wich  country  you  will  re- 
main before  you  go  to  America. 


FAREWELL   TO  ITALY  305 

My  mother  she  thank  you  so  much  for  your  re- 
membrance to  her  and  she  send  you  both  the  dou- 
ble compliment  and  thanks.  Your  kindness  is  so 
nice.  She  enjoy  your  desirous  letter. 

You  are  at  Lago  di  Como  ;  there  I  would  like  be, 
but  is  n't  possible  for  me.  How  I  shall  be  happy 
if  I  did  to  meet  you  between  the  street  as  long  as 
you  walk,  but  could  n't  be  so. 

I  write  you  long  letter  but  I  should  be  never 
tired  when  I  am  in  writting  to  you  because  I  do  it 
with  all  my  affection.  I  wish  you  happiness  with 
joy  and  mirth.  Excuse  me  if  my  position  it  is  so 
poor  I  could  n't  do  the  duty  as  you  merit,  but  I 
send  you  a  simple  flower  with  smelling  from  Capri 
which  you  will  accept  with  heart ;  and  please  read 
this  letter  both,  with  our  hat  off. 

With  kindly  reguards, 

Your  dear 

S.  LUIGI 

Excuse  my  confidence  that  I  ask  your  fotograph. 
Addio. 


CHAPTER  XVIH 

THE   PASSION   PLAY 

EDWINA  had  a  bright  thought  concerning  Ober- 
ammergau.  It  was  to  precede  the  crowd  which 
would  arrive  on  the  regular  train  from  Munich,  by 
spending  the  night  in  some  village  close  by  the 
Mecca  of  so  many  pilgrims,  and  thus  be  able  to 
arrive  quietly  and  early  in  the  morning  at  Ober- 
ammergau.  A  search  of  her  map  revealed  a  place 
called  Murnau,  whose  description  sounded  like 
what  they  were  seeking  ;  so  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  twenty-second  of  June,  in  a  beating  rain-storm, 
they  drove  to  the  station  in  Munich  and  took  their 
train.  When  at  seven  o'clock  they  arrived  at  their 
destination  the  rain  had  ceased,  and  they  seemed 
to  have  reached  Arcadia.  The  little  lake  called 
the  Staffen  See  smiled  in  the  recovered  sunlight, 
and  the  thick  woods  glistened  as  they  dried  their 
tears. 

"  Where  's  the  village  ?  Where  's  anybody  ? 
Where  's  anything?"  asked  Edwina  laughing. 

A  rosy-cheeked  little  boy  advanced  to  them,  and 
said  something  in  German.  The  girl  shook  her 
head,  but  helplessly  yielded  her  belongings.  He 
slung  the  dress-suit  case  across  his  back,  took  a 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  307 

bag  in  each  hand,  and  started  into  a  path  that  led 
downhill  through  the  still  forest. 

"  Nobody  lives  here  but  fairies  apparently,"  said 
Edwina.  "  It 's  my  impression  he  is  a  gnome  and 
we  're  going  underground." 

The  path  was  so  narrow  they  were  obliged  to 
walk  single  file,  and  its  steep  windings  were  so 
sudden  that  the  little  lad  looked  back  from  time  to 
time  to  see  if  they  were  following  ;  and  he  went  so 
nimbly  that  the  crazy-quilt  of  labels  on  Edwina's 
dress-suit  case  glimmering  among  the  fir-trees  was 
their  only  beacon.  Occasionally  they  met  a  man 
with  a  feather  in  his  alpine  hat  who  said  "  Guten 
Abend"  as  he  strode  by.  Brooks  gurgled  beside 
them,  and  after  fifteen  minutes'  walk  the  woods 
grew  thinner,  and  a  lovely  streaked  sky  shone  down 
on  the  Staffen  See  and  the  little  hotel  that  nestled 
among  huge  trees  on  its  shore. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  fascinating,  lonely 
place  !  "  ejaculated  Edwina.  "  Cousin  Eunice,  I 
shall  never  get  you  away  from  here.  It  is  as  still 
as  a  picture." 

They  had  the  Kurhaus  to  themselves,  as  the 
season  had  scarcely  opened.  The  kindly  French 
landlord  treated  them  with  the  utmost  courtesy. 
It  was  strange  to  have  their  choice  of  rooms,  to 
stroll  through  empty  corridors  where  were  cards 
upon  which  Eunice  gazed  with  worshiping  eyes, 
for  they  politely  begged  guests  to  close  the  doors 
quietly. 

"  You  can  make  the  rest  of  the  trip  alone,  Ned," 
she  said.  "  I  '11  meet  you  at  Hamburg." 


308       MISS  PBITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

In  the  late  twilight  they  looked  out  of  their 
windows  upon  more  forest  paths  that  led  uphill 
among  the  fir-trees,  and  with  pangs  to  think  they 
could  not  linger  for  days  and  explore  them,  they 
lay  down  to  sleep  in  the  cool  balsamic  silence. 

Next  morning  early,  although  the  host  had  as- 
sured them  that  their  bags  would  go  with  them  to 
the  station  "  by  favor  of  the  little  one,"  it  was  a 
man  who  escorted  them  through  the  hushed  green- 
wood. It  would  have  been  a  hard  climb  for  the 
rosy-cheeked  laddie  so  laden,  and  they  were  glad 
of  the  change.  The  porter,  although  they  told 
him  they  could  not  speak  German,  occasionally 
made  some  friendly  remark,  and  once  he  turned  to 
Edwina  with  a  beaming  countenance  and  said : 
"  Oberammergau  ?  "  then  pointing  to  the  clear 
sky:  "Zu  Christust"  The  girl  replied  in  the 
affirmative,  and  he  went  on  with  reverent  manner 
to  state  that  he  had  seen  the  play. 

When  they  reached  a  cleared  spot,  the  man 
stood  still  where  lake  and  mountains  formed  a  pic- 
ture. "JEs  ist  schbn  —  Deutschland? "  he  said. 

It  was  schbn  all  the  way  that  morning  as  their 
train  crept  slowly  up  through  banks  and  beds  of 
unrivaled  wild  flowers,  and  through  the  German 
forests  where  every  tree  seems  tended  like  a  plant. 
It  was  exciting  to  Edwina  that  they  were  really 
nearing  that  little  village  in  the  Bavarian  Alps 
which  has  involuntarily  grown  world-famous. 

"  Do  you  know  how  the  Passion  Play  came  to 
be  given  in  the  first  place,  cousin  Eunice  ? "  she 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  309 

asked,  after  a  long  silence  occupied  in  gazing  from 
the  car  windows. 

"  Something  about  a  plague,  was  n't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes.  In  1634  the  plague  raged  here,  and  the 
despairing  peasants  prayed  to  God,  promising  that 
if  He  would  arrest  it  they  would  in  gratitude  pre- 
sent the  Passion  Play  every  ten  years.  The  plague 
ceased,  the  peasants  kept  their  promise  ;  so  natu- 
rally after  these  centuries  it  is  the  ambition  of 
every  child  born  in  that  village  to  be  worthy  some- 
time to  take  part  in  the  play.  The  fact  of  its 
being  given  so  seldom  prevents  a  mercenary  feel- 
ing from  creeping  in,  no  doubt.  Then  until  this 
year  there  has  been  no  railroad  to  the  village,  and 
that  has  kept  the  people  so  remote  and  simple. 
This  is  the  first  season  this  train  has  run." 

"  It  goes  as  if  it  was  n't  used  to  it,"  remarked 
Miss  Pritchard.  "  I  've  never  said  a  word  of  my 
feelings  about  this  thing,  Ned  ;  but  from  the  first 
it 's  been  against  my  better  judgment  to  go  to  see 
people  try  to  act  out  the  Gospel  story.  It  still 
makes  me  wince  to  think  of  it ;  but  I  saw  how  it 
was :  it  happened  that  we  were  over  here  in  the 
right  year  for  it,  and  I  saw  how  set  you  were  on 
going,  so  I  said  to  myself  that  I  would  n't  stand  in 
the  way,  because  if  I  find  it  is  irreverent  or  dis- 
tasteful, I  can  leave  the  place  and  wait  for  you. 
Perhaps  you  won't  like  it  either." 

"  But  remember  how  Mr.  Champion  felt  about 
it."  These  surroundings  had  double  interest  for 
Edwina,  inasmuch  as  her  lover  had  so  recently 
been  over  the  same  ground. 


310       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Yes,  but  we  don't  know  his  standards  about  a 
thing  like  this.  What  would  shock  us  might  not 
shock  him." 

When  the  train  finally  crept  into  Oberammer- 
gau  and  stopped,  the  eyes  of  our  travelers  were 
first  attracted  by  the  flowing  locks  of  the  men  and 
boys,  many  of  them  in  the  Tyrolean  costume.  The 
station  was  already  a  busy  place,  and  events  proved 
that  the  catching  of  the  early  train  had  been  of 
great  advantage.  They  repaired  at  once  to  the 
Wohnungsbureau.  While  still  in  Cannes  they 
had  engaged  their  seats  for  the  play  on  June 
twenty-fourth,  in  the  hope  that  by  so  doing  they 
would  get  the  sort  of  room  so  necessary  to  Miss 
Pritchard's  comfort.  The  officials  had  indeed  re- 
served for  them  two  of  their  choicest  rooms ;  and 
the  handsome  and  amiable  young  man  who  speaks 
English  informed  them  with  much  satisfaction 
that  apartments  had  been  assigned  to  them  in  the 
house  of  the  parish  priest. 

Here  was  an  honor  indeed,  but  the  information 
brought  apprehension  to  Eunice's  soul,  which  was 
verified  when  they  reached  the  pleasant  and  airy 
domicile  ;  for  it  was  indeed  as  close  to  the  church 
as  the  churchyard  would  permit,  and  the  resonant 
bell  that  pealed  its  clear  note  from  end  to  end  of 
the  village  was  directly  overhead.  Edwina  knew 
what  this  meant  to  her  cousin.  She  found  the 
priest  himself,  discovered  that  he  talked  French, 
and  asked  him  if  the  large  bell  rang  all  night.  He 
bent  his  benevolent  head  and  looked  at  her  plea- 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  311 

santly  through  his  spectacles.  "  No  indeed,  Ma- 
demoiselle. All  night !  What  an  amusing  idea  !  " 
and  he  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed. 

Much  relieved,  Edwina  returned  to  the  pleasant, 
scrupulously  clean  rooms  and  told  her  cousin  that 
the  bell  was  probably  used  only  to  announce  ser- 
vices. At  that  moment  it  rang  three-quarters  past 
the  hour  with  a  full  tone  which  seemed  to  be  in 
the  room  with  them.  The  two  looked  at  each 
other.  Edwina  ran  downstairs  and  knocked  once 
again  at  the  priest's  door.  He  came  forth  smiling 
at  his  amusing  young  guest. 

"  The  bell  rings  every  quarter  and  the  hour,  all 
night,  does  n't  it?  "  she  asked. 

"  Naturally,  Mademoiselle,"  returned  the  priest, 
smiling  leniently.  "  That  is  so  everywhere." 

"  Yes,  I  know  it  is ;  but  my  friend  cannot  sleep 
near  a  bell.  We  shall  have  to  change  our  rooms. 
Would  you  have  the  kindness  to  suggest  another 
house  ?  " 

The  priest's  smile  went  out,  and  his  spectacles 
changed  expression.  "  I  don't  know  of  any,"  he 
replied  briefly,  and  turned  on  his  heel. 

Edwina  was  desperate.  She  knew  that  the  pre- 
sent arrangement  would  mean  two  entirely  sleep- 
less nights  to  her  cousin,  so  although  Eunice  was 
mortified  to  cause  so  much  trouble,  the  two  set 
forth  at  once  for  the  Wohnungsbureau. 

"  Of  course,  we  did  n't  know  any  especial  house 
to  ask  for,"  said  Edwina  comfortingly,  "  and  who 
could  have  dreamed  that  with  four  thousand  peo- 


312       MISS  PRITCHAE&S    WEDDING   TRIP 

pie  to  provide  rooms  for,  we  should  have  been  put 
up  against  that  only  bell  in  the  village  ?  " 

"  We  applied  so  early,  they  gave  us  the  very 
best,"  said  Eunice  dismally.  "  No  doubt  the  priest 
is  disgusted." 

"  He  is.  I  suppose  he  is  not  used  to  having  his 
fine  rooms  scorned ;  and  of  course  he  never  notices 
the  bell." 

"  I  should  think  he  might  understand.  Some 
people  would  rather  sleep  on  a  heap  of  straw  than 
be  kept  awake  all  night  like  a  person  under  Chi- 
nese torture." 

They  blessed  all  the  fates  that  there  was  still  an 
hour  before  the  multitude  from  Munich  would 
storm  the  town,  and  again  they  entered  the  Woh- 
nungsbureau  and  threw  themselves  on  the  mercy 
of  the  young  man  who  spoke  English.  He  kindly 
looked  over  the  books  to  see  what  might  be  ef- 
fected, and  at  last  advised  them  to  go  to  the  house 
of  the  man  who  was  to  take  the  part  of  Samuel. 
They  did  so  and  found  the  host  to  be  a  wood-carver 
of  gentle  and  noble  countenance.  He  had  the 
rooms  they  wanted,  but  hesitated ;  and  on  consul- 
tation with  his  plump  and  rosy  wife  said  he  did 
not  dare  give  them  to  these  ladies  on  account  of 
other  parties  who  would  come  to  claim  them. 

Edwina  had  very  few  German  words  at  her  com- 
mand, but  she  used  these  zealously  and  eked  out 
her  remarks  by  pantomime.  At  last  the  wood- 
carver  took  his  feathered  hat  from  its  nail,  put  it 
on  his  flowing  curls,  and  beckoned  to  Edwina. 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  313 

She  accompanied  him  to  the  Wohnungsbureau 
eagerly.  That  amiable  young  man  would  smooth 
her  path  and  they  could  begin  to  be  happy.  But 
when  she  entered,  great  was  her  disappointment 
to  discover  that  the  Englishman  had  left  the  pre- 
mises ;  and  worst  of  all,  in  his  place  stood  the 
parish  priest  buried  in  a  ledger,  and  as  soon  as 
he  recognized  Edwina,  blind  and  deaf.  The  girl 
spoke  to  him  timidly.  Was  this  the  same  face  that 
had  beamed  so  blandly  through  his  spectacles  when 
the  priest  first  welcomed  them  beneath  his  roof  ? 
He  had  forgotten  his  French.  Not  a  word  would 
he  say,  though  he  looked  up  at  her  once  stonily. 
When  Samuel  spoke  to  him  he  replied  briefly  in 
German.  The  man  explained  the  situation  and 
Edwina  listened  uncomprehending,  her  heart  in 
her  mouth  lest  the  offended  official  should  forbid 
the  new  arrangement.  He  did  not,  and  for  this 
negative  kindness  she  blessed  him  mentally,  though 
wondering  and  regretful  to  find  so  much  benevo- 
lence of  manner  to  be  only  skin  deep. 

Silently  she  returned  to  the  house  beside  her 
host  in  his  green  Tyrolean  costume,  feeling  acutely 
the  misfortune  of  having  no  means  of  communi- 
cating with  him.  However,  he  made  her  under- 
stand that  they  might  remain ;  and  Miss  Pritch- 
ard's  gratitude  to  her  child  can  only  be  understood 
by  those  to  whom  the  daytime  never  repays  five 
minutes  of  sleep  that  is  chased  away  by  night. 
The  unwound  watch,  the  untuned  harp-strings,  all 
things  nerveless  and  discordant  are  symbolized  in 


314       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

the  sufferings  of  the  sleepless.  Even  the  parish 
priest's  tolerance  would  have  borne  the  strain  had 
he  understood. 

Once,  some  months  after  Eunice  and  Edwina's 
return  to  America,  they  were  talking  with  a  lady 
who  had  seen  the  Passion  Play  this  summer. 

"  Where  did  you  have  your  room  ?  "  asked  Miss 
Pritchard. 

"  In  the  house  of  the  parish  priest,"  responded 
her  friend. 

"  But  the  bell !  "  ejaculated  Miss  Pritchard. 

"  I  love  bells,"  said  the  lady  placidly. 

Eunice  gazed  at  her  in  amazed  fascination. 
"  You  are  wasted  in  America,  then,"  she  said  at 
last.  "  You  ought  to  go  right  back  to  Europe  and 
stay  there !  " 

Our  travelers  began  at  once  to  roam  about  the 
clean  village  with  its  quiet  river,  and  houses  deco- 
rated outside  with  paintings  of  Bible  scenes.  The 
mountains  round  about,  and  especially  the  majestic 
Kof  el,  with  its  slender  cross  touching  the  blue  of  the 
sky,  appeared  like  guardians  of  its  purity.  The 
broad-shouldered,  flat-backed  physique  of  the  men 
—  a  round-shouldered  or  fat  citizen  seeming  a  phe- 
nomenon —  and  their  friendly,  clear,  straight-for- 
ward gaze,  was  very  attractive.  Every  one  greeted 
every  one  else.  It  seemed  to  Eunice  and  Edwina 
as  if  they  could  see  in  countless  ways  in  this  village 
the  effect  of  an  all-pervading,  uplifting  thought 
held  for  centuries.  Babies  who  could  barely  toddle 
came  to  them  holding  out  their  little  palms  —  not 


THE  PASSION  PLAT  315 

for  pfennige,  but  to  shake  hands.  Many  of  the 
men  wore  the  Tyrolean  dress :  hats  with  curling 
feather  in  the  middle  of  the  back,  coat  and  knee- 
breeches  embroidered  in  green,  with  deer  or  some 
hunting  device,  bare  knees,  heavy  gray  and  green 
hose  reaching  to  the  ankles  only,  and  shoes. 

At  evening  Eunice  and  Edwina  watched  the 
cows  come  tinkling  home  in  long  procession,  and 
when  night  had  fallen,  the  village  band  played 
through  the  streets  full  glad  strains  which  told 
that  on  the  morrow  the  sacred  play  would  be  given. 
Edwina  had  in  mind  to  attend  the  early  church 
service  next  morning,  when  the  players  would  be 
consecrated  for  the  parts  they  were  about  to  as- 
sume ;  but  the  falling  rain  dampened  her  ardor. 
The  play  was  to  commence  at  eight  o'clock,  and 
the  rain  continued  until  the  crowds  had  reached 
the  theatre.  The  village  streets  presented  a  re- 
markable sight. 

At  ordinary  times  people  find  it  a  little  difficult 
to  get  to  church  promptly  by  half  past  ten  ;  and  a 
sermon  of  half  an  hour  is  quite  long  enough.  This 
Sunday  morning  it  appeared  to  be  no  trouble  at 
all  for  four  thousand  persons  to  pick  their  way 
through  rain  and  mud,  and  be  quietly  in  their 
places  at  eight  o'clock.  There  they  sat  with  one 
intermission  for  lunch,  until  half  past  five,  and  no 
one  fidgeted,  or  yawned,  or  appeared  fatigued. 
Could  any  other  story  have  held  them  ? 

The  audience  was  seated  beneath  a  roof,  but  the 
stage,  two  hundred  feet  in  breadth,  was  open  to 


316       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

the  sky.  A  green  hill  rose  behind  it  with  groves 
of  trees.  The  streets  of  Jerusalem  wound  between 
the  houses  of  priests  and  rulers.  The  breeze  lifted 
the  flowing  hair  of  the  actors  as  they  came  and 
went,  and  such  was  the  care  with  which  they  had 
been  selected  for  their  parts,  and  the  truthfulness 
of  their  costuming,  that  to  our  travelers,  fresh 
from  the  world's  great  pictures,  it  seemed  as  if  the 
conceptions  of  Raphael,  da  Vinci,  and  del  Sarto 
had  come  down  from  the  walls  and  were  walking 
about. 

It  took  Eunice  a  short  time  to  discover  that  she 
need  not  have  winced.  Every  feeling  of  reverence 
that  one  can  bring  to  the  Passion  Play  will  only  be 
enhanced  by  seeing  it.  It  is  a  marvelous  thing  that 
such  a  performance  can  be  given  in  detail  without 
one  jarring  note,  one  overdone  scene,  or  one  deflec- 
tion from  good  taste. 

Josef  Mayr,  after  having  been  for  thirty  years 
prominent  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  as  the  Christus, 
has  trained  Anton  Lang,  his  successor,  and  himself 
lends  the  unapproached  majesty  of  his  presence  to 
the  prologue  which  precedes  each  act ;  and  this 
self-forgetful  spirit  is  typical  of  the  impersonality 
of  the  work  of  these  many  hundreds  of  actors. 
Their  play  is  to  them  a  sacred  rite,  and  no  one 
conveys  the  impression  of  desiring  to  be  observed. 
All  work  together,  earnestly  and  sincerely,  toward 
the  attainment  of  a  general  perfection. 

The  rain  ceased  this  morning  at  the  opening  of 
the  story ;  and  near  its  beginning,  just  as  Mary 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  317 

Magdalen  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  the  Master, 
the  sun  came  out  and  glorified  his  beautiful  head. 
There  were  many  striking  coincidences  of  sun 
effects  all  through  the  day,  and  no  more  rain. 

When  Mary  pleaded  with  her  son  not  to  leave 
her  and  go  where  danger  awaited  him,  the  pathos 
of  the  scene  was  memorable.  He  reminded  her  of 
their  duty,  and  his  final  calm  "Liebe  Mutter!" 
and  her  thrilling,  quiet  "  Jesus,  mein  Sohn ! " 
stirred  the  heart  of  every  listener. 

The  scene  in  Gethsemane  was  touching  beyond 
words  to  express,  and  more  moving  still  the  mo- 
ment when  John  brought  Mary  to  Jerusalem  to 
search  for  her  son.  While  they  were  wandering 
they  heard  the  cruel  cries  of  the  crowd,  and  Jesus 
appeared,  nearly  crushed  beneath  the  heavy  cross. 
The  pitiful,  broken  cry  of  the  mother,  "  Mein 
Sohn  I  mein  Kind  !  "  was  never  to  be  forgotten. 

Yet  all  would  perhaps  agree  that  the  Passion 
Play  was  not  a  painful  experience.  The  beauty 
and  strength  of  the  Christus,  his  shining  head 
gleaming  in  the  sunlight  as  he  moved  among  the 
adoring  or  hating  people,  made  the  impression 
which  prevailed.  The  ceremony  of  the  Last  Sup- 
per was  a  scene  for  which  to  be  lastingly  grateful. 
During  the  washing  of  the  disciples'  feet  and  the 
giving  of  the  bread  and  wine,  an  invisible  angel 
chorus  sang  softly  from  time  to  time.  Every  move- 
ment was  so  graceful,  so  dignified  and  deliberate, 
so  adequate,  as  to  be  indescribable. 

Peter's  wretchedness  at  having;  denied  his  mas- 


318       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

ter,  Judas's  craft  and  subsequent  despair,  were 
given  with  a  naturalness  beyond  mere  acting. 
Herod  and  Pilate  in  the  rich  vestments  of  the 
Caesars  endeavored  not  to  convict  Jesus,  and  Bar- 
abbas  was  shown  in  all  repulsive  contrast  to  the 
bound  Nazarene  ;  but  the  shouting,  ferocious  crowd 
demanded  the  crucifixion. 

It  is  not  told  how  the  Christus  is  affixed  to  the 
cross,  but  the  illusion  was  perfect,  and  the  long 
scene  marvelously  given.  The  deposition  from  the 
cross  was  tenderly  and  reverently  accomplished, 
and  then  the  entombment. 

In  the  next  scene  the  stone  fell  with  a  crash 
from  the  sepulchre  and  Christ  appeared  in  shining 
robes,  while  the  soldiers  were  prostrated.  The 
ascension  was  made  impressive,  and  left  one  mar- 
veling and  questioning  how  these  peasants,  without 
the  aid  of  make-up  or  artificial  lights,  in  the  open 
air  of  day  under  the  free  sky,  had  so  portrayed  the 
strongest  story  of  all  time  with  its  holy  passion  and 
miracle  that  the  hushed  audience,  unconscious  of 
the  passing  hours,  looked  and  listened  spellbound, 
and  at  last  went  on  their  ways,  still  in  the  spirit  of 
worship. 

Out  in  the  street  Miss  Pritchard  saw  one  lady 
meet  a  friend  and  heard  her  ask :  "  Have  you 
enjoyed  the  day  ?  " 

The  man  replied  :  "  If  you  will  allow  me  to  cor- 
rect your  expression,  I  appreciated  the  day.  It 
seems  not  right  —  like  sacrilege — to  say  I  enjoyed 
it." 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  319 

A  little  further  along  Eunice  and  Edvvina  met 
a  young  American  who  was  also  staying  in  the 
house  of  Samuel,  and  with  whom  they  had  talked 
the  night  before.  He  was  alone,  and  seemed  pleased 
now  to  have  encountered  them.  "  May  I  go  to 
supper  with  you  ?  "  he  asked  eagerly. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Eunice.  "  Where  had  we 
better  go  ?  " 

"  Anton  Lang's  father  has  an  inn,"  replied  the 
young  man,  whose  name  was  Norton.  "  Let  us  go 
there.  We  might  see  Lang." 

"  I  believe  he  never  appears  on  the  day  of  the 
play,"  said  Edwina,  "  and  that  certainly  shows 
good  taste ;  but  let  us  go." 

When  they  were  seated  in  the  low-ceiled  dining, 
room  of  the  Lang  homestead,  and  Mr.  Norton,  who 
spoke  German,  had  ordered  their  supper,  Eunice 
regarded  him  kindly.  She  could  see  that  he  was 
feeling  strongly. 

"  We  have  had  a  wonderful  day,"  she  said. 

The  young  fellow  nodded.  "  I  've  been  trying 
to  think  how  I  could  write  home  to  my  people 
about  it ;  but  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  to  tell 
them  it  is  the  most  divine  thing  in  performance 
and  effect  that  I  ever  experienced."  His  eyes 
filled  as  he  spoke. 

As  they  began  their  supper,  a  number  of  broad- 
shouldered  wavy-haired  men  dropped  in  one  by 
one,  all  with  the  lovely  expression  in  their  faces, 
and  gathered  at  a  neighboring  table.  Mr.  Norton 
asked  their  blonde  Madchen  if  the  man  in  the 


320       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

corner  had  not  taken  the  part  of  Peter.  She 
glanced  around  the  well-filled  board  as  she  nodded, 
and  said  naively :  "  It  is  nothing  but  apostles." 
All  were  there  except  John  ;  and  our  party  glanced 
often  at  the  quiet,  cheerful  group  conversing  in  low 
tones  as  they  ate.  When  the  Americans  rose,  the 
other  company  gave  them  a  friendly  look,  and 
Mr.  Norton  bowed  and  said  :  "  Besten  Gruss  den 
Herr'n  Aposteln"  and  the  men  rose,  and  cour- 
teously smiled  and  bowed  a  farewell. 

The  next  morning  their  new  friend  accompanied 
Eunice  and  Edwina  to  the  shops  of  those  actors 
who  had  taken  the  principal  parts  in  yesterday's 
play.  They  found  them  besieged  by  people  who, 
like  themselves,  wished  for  a  closer  view  of  these 
celebrities,  and  to  procure  specimens  of  their  handi- 
work. The  dignity,  simplicity,  unconsciousness, 
and  ease  of  these  peasants  confronted  by  the  eager 
eyes  and  tongues  of  their  admirers  formed  a  strik- 
ing lesson  in  good  manners. 

Our  travelers  first  visited  Peter  Rendl,  the 
wood-carver,  who  had  impersonated  John.  His 
spiritual  face,  framed  in  long,  dark  hair,  was  more 
attractive  and  beautiful  the  nearer  one  approached 
him,  and  looked  as  if  he  had  borne  the  image  of 
the  beloved  disciple  in  his  heart  during  the  ten 
years  since  he  had  last  taken  the  part.  Edwiua 
asked  him  for  a  photograph  of  John  in  a  certain 
size,  and  the  manner  of  his  reply  that  he  had 
not  the  Johannes  in  that  size  made  it  evident 
that  in  his  mind  the  Johannes  was  quite  separate 


THE  PASSION  PLAY  321 

from  Peter  Rendl.  They  bought  pieces  of  his 
carving  upon  which  he  wrote  his  name,  and  then 
took  their  way  to  the  shop  of  Anton  Lang,  the 
potter,  who,  as  the  Christus,  was  this  summer  one 
of  the  most  famous  men  in  Europe.  Busts  and 
photographs  of  him,  from  life  size  down  to  the 
miniature,  appeared  in  thousands  of  windows  in  all 
the  large  cities ;  yet  he  was  the  most  unconscious 
person  in  his  crowded  shop  this  morning.  Good- 
ness and  modest  courtesy  shone  in  his  face  as  he 
endeavored  to  satisfy  the  demands  upon  him  ;  and 
his  patience  was  unfailing,  even  with  impertinent 
and  vulgar  questions  which  certain  curious  ones 
managed  to  have  interpreted  to  him.  Eunice  and 
Edwina's  young  escort,  still  glowing  with  the  holy 
fire  of  yesterday,  waited  only  to  hear  one  woman 
demand  of  Lang  if  it  did  n't  tire  him  to  hang  so 
long  on  the  cross,  and  then  he  excused  himself  to 
his  friends  and  said  he  would  wait  outside. 

Left  without  his  knowledge  of  German,  Edwina 
in  her  turn  approached  Lang  and  asked  him  to 
write  his  name  on  some  pieces  of  pottery.  He  had 
been  signing  numbers  of  his  photographs  for  his 
admirers,  and  she  made  him  understand  that  she 
had  his  picture,  but  that  to  her  that  was  the  Chris- 
tus ;  she  should  prefer  to  have  his  name  on  his 
work.  He  acquiesced  with  sweet  comprehension  of 
the  idea,  and  complied.  Edwina  told  him  that  the 
vases  were  to  go  to  America.  He  expressed  inter- 
est that  the  ladies  had  come  so  far,  and  asked  them 
if  they  liked  the  play,  and  poor  Edwina  stammered 


322       MISS  PRITCHARWS   WEDDING   TRIP 

among  her  adjectives  to  see  if  haply  she  might  find 
one  which  would  be  fit  to  apply  here.  The  young 
man  caught  her  spirit  at  least,  and  his  voice  and 
smile  were  very  lovely  as  he  hoped  to  see  them 
again  in  ten  years,  —  vielleicht  friiher,  and  took 
their  hands  at  parting. 

Finding  Mr.  Norton  waiting  patiently  without, 
they  urged  him  to  go  in  once  more.  After  some 
hesitation  he  obeyed,  and  finally  rejoined  them,  a 
satisfied  light  in  his  eyes. 

The  three  took  the  train  together  for  Munich. 
A  boy  of  twelve  with  golden  curls  hanging  on  his 
shoulders  had  helped  them  with  their  bags.  Mr. 
Norton  said  to  him  in  parting  that  perhaps  ten 
years  hence  he  might  be  taking  part  in  the  Passion 
Play.  The  boy  looked  straight  before  him.  "  One 
cannot  tell,"  he  said.  "  One  must  live  up  to  it." 

That  is  the  spirit  that  pervades  the  children  of 
Oberammergau.  They  have  one  ruling  thought, 
one  zealous  ambition,  and  the  cross  on  the  Kofel 
is  its  symbol. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

SWITZERLAND 

EUNICE  and  Edwina  were  as  content  in  Munich 
as  tourists  can  be  in  Germany  who  are  not  conver- 
sant with  its  language.  The  opera,  the  pictures, 
driving  in  the  English  garden,  strolling  in  the 
Hofgarten,  listening  to  the  band  in  the  Feldherrn 
halle,  were  pleasures  within  their  comprehension  ; 
but  Edwina  found  many  Germans  to  be  like  her 
voluble  chambermaid,  who  insisted  on  conversing 
glibly  in  spite  of  the  Americans'  monosyllables. 

Edwina's  self-defensive  and  plaintive,  "Aber 
ich  verstehe  nicht  Josefina  !  "  had  only  the  effect 
to  make  the  pretty  girl  come  a  step  nearer,  speak 
much  louder,  and  gesture  more  wildly.  Our 
Americans  felt  sympathy  for  a  countrywoman 
whom  they  encountered,  and  who  told  a  vivacious 
tale  of  her  recent  embarrassments  in  traveling  in 
this  strange  land. 

Once  as  she  and  a  friend  had  been  riding  on  the 
railway,  the  train  began  to  slacken.  The  guard 
came  in  and  said,  "  UmsteigenI " 1  The  lady 
looked  up  pleasantly  and  nodded.  His  brow  grew 
dark  and  he  repeated  loudly,  "  Umsteigen ! " 

1    Change  cars. 


324       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"M'h'm,"  smiled  the  lady  placidly.  "  UMBTEI- 
GEN  !  "  roared  the  guard,  shaking  his  fist  in  her 
naive,  bewildered  face.  Then  he  went  out,  and 
the  last  thing  she  heard  before  he  slammed  the  door 
was  "  Umsteigen  !  " 

She  turned  to  her  friend  :  "  Well,  what 's  the 
matter  with  him,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  You  sit 
at  that  window  and  I  '11  sit  at  this,  and  we  '11  watch 
for  Umsteigen,  and  when  we  get  there  we  '11  see 
what  it 's  like." 

"  I  've  just  made  up  my  mind,"  added  the  lady 
as  her  listeners  laughed,  "  that  I  '11  never  travel  in 
Germany  again  until  I  've  learned  to  umsteigen 
and  einsteigen  and  aussteigen  with  any  of  them." 

It  was  in  Berlin  that  Edwina  found  her  greatest 
difficulty  in  shopping,  as  up  to  that  time  she  had 
found  French  spoken  everywhere.  For  a  while 
she  was  misled  by  the  ignis  fatuus  of  clerks  who 
were  brought  forward  as  speaking  English,  and 
who  directed  them  on  wild  goose  chases,  through 
all  sorts  of  misunderstandings.  After  being  sent 
far  up  Unter  den  Linden  for  certain  silver  hatpins, 
only  to  find  themselves  confronted  with  a  wigmaker 
who  was  prepared  to  sell  them  hairpins,  they  tried 
to  shop  by  pantomime  if  necessary  rather  than  be- 
lieve what  they  were  told.  Once  pantomime  failed 
them.  Edwina  wished  to  buy  one  of  the  little  rub- 
ber pigs  which  blow  up  into  shape  and  collapse  with 
one  expiring  moan.  They  entered  a  shop  where 
they  knew  they  were  kept;  but  not  seeing  any, 
they  asked  their  regular  question  :  "  Do  you  speak 
English?" 


SWITZERLAND  325 

This  always  elicited  one  of  two  replies.  One 
was :  "  Leedle  ; "  the  other,  a  shake  of  the  head. 
This  time  the  man  shook  his  head. 

Edwina  said :  "  Hdben  Sie  kleine  "  —  then  turn- 
ing desperately  to  her  cousin :  "  Oh  dear,  what  is 
pig?" 

Miss  Pritchard  felt  like  saying  with  the  young 
man  at  Naples  :  "  You  can  search  me  !  " 

Edwina  turned  back  to  the  man.     "  Hdben  Sie 

—  Oh,  you  must  know !  —  haben  Sie  —  ein  kleine 

—  Schinken?"  J 

The  shopkeeper  gave  one  stare,  and  then 
rose  brilliantly  to  the  emergency:  "Ach,  jaf 
Schtoeinchen  —  Schweinchen  !  Wie  viel  Schwein- 
chen,  Fr'dulein  ?  " 

But  before  Berlin  came  the  visit  to  Switzerland. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  Eunice  and  Edwina 
were  in  Lucerne,  where  they  stayed  for  a  week 
doing  homage  to  the  Rigi,  and  Pilatus,  and  cruising 
amid  the  wonderful  lake  scenery  in  the  intervals 
of  cold  rains.  Next  came  Interlaken  ;  but  they 
seemed  to  feel  nearer  to  the  Jungf ran  at  the  neigh- 
boring village  of  Wilderswyl,  so  they  took  up  their 
abode  in  a  little  hotel  standing  in  a  green  field 
with  apple  and  cherry  trees  and  a  rushing  river  as 
the  most  exciting  neighbors  :  a  spot  after  Eunice's 
own  heart.  There  was  nothing  between  her  win- 
dows and  the  regal  Jungfrau  except  the  swelling 
velvet  hills,  tree-laden,  which  framed  its  dazzling 
whiteness. 

1  Ham. 


326       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

Their  good  fortune  in  weather  returned  in  force ; 
and  as  rains  are  so  frequent  in  the  mountains,  this 
cloudless  season  drove  tourists  from  one  excursion 
to  another.  Eunice  and  Edwina,  the  morning 
after  their  arrival,  took  the  little  mountain  train 
for  the  Schynige  Platte,  six  thousand  feet  above. 
Behind  the  open  car  was  an  odd  little  engine  that 
seemed  to  get  its  head  down  and  push  the  car  up 
the  mountain  steep,  by  clutching  each  foot  of  the 
way  with  its  iron  hands  and  feet.  The  motion  was 
wonderfully  smooth,  and  the  excursion  excitingly 
beautiful.  The  road  wound  in  such  a  way  that  the 
scene  constantly  changed.  They  passed  amid  banks 
of  wild  flowers,  past  steep  cascades,  through  leafy 
forests  and  verdant  fields,  and  gradually  dominated 
the  deep  valleys  and  lakes,  feeling  conscious  of 
that  overwhelming  sense  of  inadequacy  which 
oppresses  sensitive  natures  at  the  first  comprehen- 
sive view  of  grand  mountain  scenery. 

When  the  Platte  was  reached  Eunice  and  Edwina 
stood  on  the  terrace  commanding  the  snow  range 
whose  dazzling  fields  seemed  but  a  stone's  toss 
away.  Then  they  took  the  twenty  minutes'  climb 
to  the  horn  called  the  Daube  and  looked  down. 
The  lakes  of  Brienz  and  Thun,  connected  by  the 
fine  winding  ribbon  of  the  canal,  looked  like  small 
patches  of  pale  green  ice.  On  the  way  back  to  the 
Platte  hotel,  Eunice  sat  down  amid  acres  of  forget- 
me-nots,  violets,  and  buttercups,  and  feasted  her 
eyes  on  their  simpler  beauties. 

The  little  chalets  on  the  mountain  sides  looked 


SWITZEBLAND  327 

like  bird  houses,  and  the  near  views  of  them  which 
Eunice  and  Edwina  obtained  walking  after  tea 
about  Wilderswyl,  made  them  wonder  why  such 
simple,  picturesque  houses  were  not  imitated  in 
villages  at  home.  Often  a  pious  legend  was  carved 
in  wood  across  the  facade,  often  their  balconies 
were  red  and  white  with  overhanging  geraniums, 
but  always  they  were  attractive,  and  the  courtesy 
of  the  village  people  recalled  Oberammergau.  No 
matter  how  rough  in  appearance  the  man,  woman, 
or  child  they  passed  in  the  quiet  lanes,  a  Gruss 
was  sure  to  be  said,  often  rebuking  their  own 
American  lack  of  courtesy. 

One  day  they  spent  on  Lake  Thun,  viewing 
Oberhofen  and  its  other  attractions,  and  another 
they  took  the  mountain  car  to  Lauterbrunnen,  in 
the  midst  of  its  waterfalls.  Then  skyward  over 
the  Wengern  Alp  straight  into  the  snow  mountains 
toward  the  Eiger-gletsch.  The  white  satin  sides 
and  peaks  of  the  Schneehorn  and  the  Silberhorn 
gleamed  against  the  blue  of  heaven  with  awe-inspir- 
ing purity ;  and  when,  after  the  wondrous  ascent 
with  its  nearer  and  changing  views  of  the  famous 
range,  the  pilgrims  left  their  little  car,  they  found 
themselves  close  to  the  great  trio,  the  Jungfrau, 
the  Monch,  and  the  Eiger.  Across  a  descending 
snow-field  lay  the  glacier  toward  which  many  of 
the  tourists  set  out. 

"  Come,  cousin  Eunice,"  said  Edwina  in  a  mat- 
ter-of-course tone,  although  she  knew  that  next  to 
night-noises  in  Miss  Pritcnard's  list  of  aversions 
came  slippery  walking. 


328       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  No,  you  go  on.  I  '11  sit  right  here  in  the  sun- 
shine and  wait  for  you,"  returned  her  cousin,  after 
one  glance  over  the  snowy  billows. 

"  Are  n't  you  afraid  a  German  tourist  will  come 
and  talk  to  you  ?  "  Edwina  smiled  as  she  suggested 
the  counter-irritant.  Miss  Pritchard  had  already 
freed  her  mind  concerning  the  enormous  men  with 
feathered  hats  and  seal  rings  on  their  forefingers 
who  take  up  two  places  in  the  car,  knock  your  purse 
from  your  hand,  and  then  exhort  you  to  behold  the 
wunderschbne  blick  !  All  her  doubts  of  the  male 
sex  came  to  an  emphatic  certainty  when  the  foreign 
masculine  tourist  was  in  question. 

"  You  know  you  '11  be  sorry  if  you  miss  it," 
added  Edwina. 

Miss  Pritchard  wavered.  She  took  a  measuring 
glance.  "  It  does  n't  look  very  far,  does  it  ?  "  she 
remarked. 

"  No,  it 's  nothing.     Let  us  start." 

Eunice's  spirit  of  enterprise  conquered  until  she 
had  taken  a  few  steps  down  the  icy  path.  "  No, 
no,  Ned.  This  is  against  my  better  judgment. 
Let  me  stay.  If  anybody  speaks  to  me,  I  '11  just 
say  '  Nein.'  " 

"  Oh,  nonsense,  little  Eunice.  I  could  hold  up 
two  of  you." 

For  a  time  all  did  go  well,  but  at  last  the  path 
narrowed  and  grew  steeper.  Moreover,  the  further 
they  went,  the  more  the  glacier  retreated. 

"When  shall  I  learn  to  trust  my  intuitions?'7 
gasped  Miss  Pritchard,  scant  of  breath.  Her  stern, 


SWITZERLAND  329 

martyred  countenance  endangered  Edwina's  self- 
control  during  all  the  ups  and  downs  of  the  transit; 
but  at  last  they  drew  near  the  mass  of  green  ice. 

"  We  're  there  —  see  !  "  said  Edwina,  pointing 
to  the  artificial  opening  which  had  been  made  in 
the  clear  ice  revealing  a  frozen  corridor. 

"  Are  you  going  in  there  ?  "  desperately. 

"  I  don't  care  about  it.  We  see  the  forma- 
tion." 

"  I  should  think  so  !  "  returned  Miss  Pritchard, 
giving  excited  vent  to  her  feelings.  "  It 's  a  sin- 
ful waste  of  the  middle  of  July  to  skate  and  slip 
and  freeze  around  a  mountain  like  this !  The 
Creator  meant  such  places  to  be  inaccessible  to 
man,  —  of  course  He  did  ;  but  nothing  would  do 
but  we  must  leave  the  flowers  and  birds  and  manage 
to  get  here  somehow,  just  like  Bluebeard's  wife  go- 
ing into  the  forbidden  closet ;  and  you  know  I  '11 
never  get  up  that  hill  in  this  world,  Edwina 
Wilder.  When  I  tell  you  distinctly  that  a  thing 
is  against  my  better  judgment  I  should  think  "  — 

But  Edwina,  struggling  with  her  risibles  and 
knowing  that  she  would  require  all  her  breath  for 
the  return  trip,  seized  Eunice's  hand  comfortingly 
and  patted  it  as  it  lay  in  her  arm.  "  Now  we  're 
going  to  take  our  time  and  enjoy  it,"  she  said, 
drawing  her  timorous  cousin  along. 

"  Enjoy  it !  I  shall  say  hymns.  I  did  all  the 
way  down." 

"  Patriotic  hymns  ?  " 

"  No.      I   did  n't   need   to.      America   is   good 


330       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

enough  for  anybody.  Real  hymns  :  '  My  days  are 
gliding  swiftly  by,'  and  '  In  the  hour  of  trial,' 
and"  — 

"  O  cousin  Eunice,  don't !  "  implored  Edwina, 
her  throat  convulsing,  for  Miss  Pritchard's  unsteady 
little  feet  were  slipping  about  and  jerking  the  words 
out  of  her. 

Men  with  sledges  accosted  them,  inviting  them 
to  coast.  Inarticulate  contempt  from  Eunice 
greeted  the  suggestion.  Edwina  expected  every 
minute  to  hear  her  invoke  Howard  Champion  ;  but 
apparently  the  present  difficulty  precluded  com- 
forting thoughts,  and  they  plodded  on  in  silence. 

"  I  have  n't  even  got  on  my  right  glasses  !  " 
said  Eunice  after  an  unexpected  step  when  Edwina 
just  saved  her  from  a  downfall. 

"  You  're  doing  beautifully,  dear.  Now,  this  is 
the  last  steep  place." 

"  Oh  —  the  last !  "  scornfully. 

"  Yes,  the  rest  is  more  level  and  soft." 

They  pushed  on,  Miss  Pritchard  with  one  eye 
shut  the  better  to  see,  and  an  expression  as  of  a 
martyr  on  her  way  to  the  stake.  Suddenly  there 
came  a  treacherous  hollow,  Eunice's  foot  slipped, 
and  she  fell  into  a  drift.  "  There  I  go!"  she 
announced  in  a  tone  which  put  the  climax  upon  all 
which  had  preceded.  Edwina  gave  up  and  laughed 
immoderately,  even  while  she  was  helping  her 
cousin  to  rise.  A  massive  German  woman  was 
just  starting  doubtfully  and  slowly  down  the  path. 
She  saw  Miss  Pritchard  fall,  and  paused  to  view 


SWITZERLAND  331 

the  scene  with  a  serious  countenance.  Edwina's 
irrepressible  hilarity  caused  her  at  first  to  wonder, 
then  to  relax  into  a  faint  smile ;  but  evidently  the 
circumstance  decided  her  as  to  the  vanity  of  gla- 
ciers, for  she  ponderously  and  slowly  wheeled 
about  and  retraced  her  steps. 

"  Look,  what  a  mercy  it  was  that  you  went 
down  !  "  gurgled  Edwina,  whisking  the  snow  from 
her  cousin's  side.  "  If  that  woman  had  gone  on 
and  fallen,  the  eternal  glacier  would  have  cracked 
from  stem  to  stern." 

Eunice,  in  the  nearness  of  the  station  platform, 
was  able  to  laugh  too.  "  Our  feet  are  just  soaking, 
Ned  Wilder." 

"  I  know  it,  you  poor  little  dear.  I  'm  awfully 
penitent  for  making  you  go ;  but  we  shall  be  dry 
in  five  minutes  in  that  tremendous  sunshine." 

This  proved  a  true  prophecy,  and  they  took  the 
next  car  down  to  lovely  Grindelwald. 

Those  mornings  and  evenings  on  their  balcony 
at  Wilderswyl,  with  the  Jungfrau  before  them  in 
her  varying  moods,  and  no  sound  more  disturbing 
that  the  river  rushing  beneath  the  foothills,  were 
a  certain  good  which  Miss  Pritchard  was  loath  to 
leave.  She  had  learned,  however,  to  put  great 
trust  in  Edwina's  planning,  so  was  able  to  be 
cheerful  one  morning  when  they  again  took  the 
steamer  on  the  lake  and  rode  past  the  romantic 
Giessbach  Fall,  back  to  Brienz.  Going  by  train 
from  that  point  to  Meiringen,  they  engaged  the 
coupe  seats  in  the  diligence  for  the  Grimsel  Pass 


332       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

and  then  went  to  a  hotel  to  dinner.  The  noonday 
heat  was  oppressive  as  it  beat  upon  the  roof  of  the 
cushioned  coupe  when  they  were  ready  to  start. 

"  Ned,  dear,  I  suppose  you  did  the  best  you 
could.  Those  outside  seats  do  look  so  comfort- 
able." 

"  And  cost  less,"  returned  Edwina.  "  Is  n't  it 
too  bad  ;  but  there  was  only  one  to  be  had,  and  I 
did  n't  think  you  'd  like  us  to  be  separated  so 
many  hours." 

"  Are  we  going  to  sit  in  this  thing  for  hours  ?  " 

"  Not  at  this  temperature,  I  hope.  Don't  these 
golf  capes  and  furs  look  ridiculous !  Let 's  put 
them  under  our  feet."  The  girl  then  proceeded 
to  let  down  the  four  windows  of  their  padded  hot- 
box,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  five  restless  horses 
started,  and  new  combinations  of  Switzerland's 
beauty  began  to  be  displayed. 

For  seven  hours  they  mounted.  They  passed 
herds  of  cows  and  goats  with  their  clinking  bells 
grazing  high  on  the  Alps,  then  wound  above  them, 
up,  up,  till  they  looked  like  black  and  white  beans 
rolling  about  below.  Water  fell  from  impressive 
heights.  Once  two  boiling  cataracts  collided  as 
they  fell  with  terrific  force,  making  ceaseless  and 
deafening  turmoil.  Fields  of  Alpine  roses  spread 
patches  of  pink  among  the  green.  Mountain 
streams  rushed  madly  over  and  around  the  ob- 
structions in  their  paths.  The  temperature  soon 
grew  comfortable,  then  cool,  then  began  to  gain  a 
frosty  quality  which  caused  the  despised  wraps  to 


SWITZERLAND  333 

be  lifted  from  the  floor  of  the  coupe.  After  a 
time,  vegetation  left  behind,  the  bank  beside  the 
diligence  showed  layers  of  snow  several  feet  in 
thickness,  and  Edwina  was  obliged  to  close  the 
coupe  windows  against  the  chilling  atmosphere  of 
the  late  afternoon.  At  last  those  interminable 
ascending  zigzag  roads  led  out  upon  a  level,  and  a 
solitary  little  mountain  lake  showed  upon  the  bleak 
height. 

Then  followed  a  novel  drive  down  hill  toward 
the  hotel  of  the  Rhone  Glacier.  "  I  suppose  it  is 
perfectly  safe,  of  course,"  said  Miss  Pritchard,  as 
the  five  horses,  having  gone  at  a  lively  trot  down 
the  first  section  of  the  zigzag  descent,  swung 
around  the  corner  into  the  next  stretch  with  un- 
abated speed. 

"  Is  n't  it  fine !  "  returned  Edwina.  "  It  is  as 
good  as  driving  a  Roman  chariot  race,  with  none 
of  the  responsibility." 

The  driver's  seat  being  above  the  coupe,  no- 
thing obstructed  their  view  of  the  horses. 

"  See  them  do  the  outer  edge  as  we  swing 
around  corners.  Are  n't  they  graceful  ?  I  feel 
as  if  I  ought  to  stand  up  and  let  my  hair  fly  back 
and  get  hold  of  the  reins." 

"  It 's  a  mercy  you  can't !  " 

"  And  there  's  the  glacier." 

"  Don't  you  say  '  glacier  '  to  me  !  " 

"  You  don't  object  to  looking  at  it,  do  you  ? 
You  '11  never  have  another  chance,  perhaps,  to  see 
six  miles  of  glacier." 


334       MISS  PRITCHARVS   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  But  what  are  those  bright  blue  patches  on 
it?" 

"  I  can't  imagine.  You  shall  climb  up  in  the 
morning  and  tell  me." 

Miss  Pritchard  would  have  smiled  if  the  horses 
had  n't  been  going  so  fast,  but  she  was  keeping  one 
eye  on  them,  and  was  glad  when  the  diligence  finally 
drew  up  before  the  hotel,  set  in  such  grand  and 
solitary  spaces  for  the  accommodation  of  pilgrims 
to  the  great  Rhone  Glacier.  The  passengers,  well 
wrapped,  and  with  noses  and  ears  red  with  the  cold, 
alighted.  How  cheery  the  large  open  fire  looked, 
glowing  in  the  hotel,  how  sharp  were  the  appetites 
for  supper,  and  how  Miss  Pritchard  slept  under 
downy  blankets  in  the  coolness  and  stillness ! 

Edwina  laughed  about  it  in  the  morning.  "  It 
was  made  to  order  for  you,  was  n't  it,  dear !  Moun- 
tain passes  between  you  and  any  neighbor  is  your 
ideal." 

"  Yes,  I  've  about  decided  to  stay  here,  the 
world  forgetting  and  by  the  world  forgot." 

"  Supposing  we  visit  the  glacier  first,"  suggested 
Edwina. 

"  I  guess  not !  " 

"  Why,  of  course  you  will,"  said  the  girl,  laugh- 
ing. "It  is  nothing  like  the  other.  A  stroll 
through  this  little  level  valley,  that 's  all." 

And  Miss  Pritchard,  half-incredulous,  and  ready 
to  turn  back  at  the  first  suggestion  of  snow,  found 
this  to  be  true.  The  two  as  tkey  walked  through 
the  brisk  morning  air  kept  their  eyes  on  the  dashes 


SWITZERLAND  335 

of  dark  vivid  blue  that  patched  the  glacier  so 
mysteriously.  They  proved  to  be  jagged  holes 
and  fissures  in  the  dull  snowy  exterior  of  the 
mountain,  revealing  its  brilliant  ice.  At  the  foot 
was  a  splendid  natural  arch  shot  with  indigo,  from 
which  issued  a  little  streamlet,  not  very  clear  by 
reason  of  its  mixture  with  snow ;  an  unimportant 
little  brook,  apparently,  yet  hurried  and  impetuous 
in  its  movement  from  the  very  first,  as  if  it  knew 
what  a  work  it  was  to  perform  in  the  world. 
Eunice  and  Edwina  viewed  it  with  interest,  for 
underneath  this  regal  arch  of  solid  crystal  they 
were  seeing  the  birth  of  the  Rhone  River. 

At  noon  of  that  day  they  again  took  places  in 
the  diligence  and  continued  the  descent  of  the 
mountain.  The  first  vegetation  they  reached  con- 
sisted of  fir-trees,  and  all  the  air  turned  balsamic  ; 
then  came  a  gradual  return  to  the  lavish  summer 
flowering  of  tree  and  shrub  and  plant,  before  they 
struck  into  the  level  road  that  leads  to  Brigue. 
As  in  Scotland  last  season,  so  in  Switzerland  now, 
the  weather  made  continual  exceptions  in  favor 
of  these  travelers.  Through  the  grand  gorges, 
and  by  the  boiling  torrents,  to  Zermatt  they  went, 
and  after  worshiping  at  the  shrine  of  the  Matter- 
horn,  the  Weisshorn,  and  the  Breithorn,  came  on 
to  Montreux  and  sailed  for  hours  through  the 
royally  blue  waters  of  Lake  Leman  to  Geneva. 
The  Rhone  River,  after  its  impetuous  and  wild 
youth,  plunges  through  the  waters  of  this  lake 
and  emerges  to  flow  on,  so  strong,  broad,  clear, 


336       JfISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

and  reposeful,  that  Eunice  and  Edwina,  remem- 
bering the  weak,  ambitious  baby  they  had  seen  at 
the  glacier,  seemed  to  see  the  symbolization  of  a 
human  soul. 

One  morning  early  they  took  the  train  for  St. 
Gervais,  and  thence  by  stage  to  Chamonix.  They 
thought  themselves  inured  to  the  beauties  of  moun- 
tain scenery,  and  the  varied  views  of  the  snow 
range  as  they  ascended,  though  inspiring,  were 
familiar,  until  they  reached  the  spot  where  for  the 
first  time  Mont  Blanc  lifted  "  its  stupendous  man- 
tle of  snow  "  against  the  fleckless  blue  of  heaven. 
That  was  a  moment  when  words  failed.  The  road 
skirted  huge  glaciers  as  they  approached  Cha- 
monix. It  was  their  plan  to  remain  there  only  for 
the  day.  For  hours  they  walked  and  sat,  always 
watching  the  "  queen  of  European  mountains," 
always  grateful  to  the  fleecy  clouds  which  as  they 
began  to  touch  the  sky  here  and  there  never  veiled 
her  dazzling  beauty,  until  they  were  starting  to 
drive  back  to  St.  Gervais. 

The  travelers  had  been  on  their  way  but  a  short 
time  when  turning,  they  found  a  bank  of  gray 
cloud  had  formed  and  fallen,  entirely  obscuring 
the  lower  portion  of  the  mountain.  The  effect  of 
increased  height  was  startling  as  the  vast,  solid, 
pure  snow  mound  appeared,  apparently  unsup- 
ported, in  the  very  sky  ;  but  later  came  the  climax. 
It  was  our  travelers'  good  fortune  to  have  all  the 
clouds  disappear  and  the  rare,  the  wonderful  Al- 
penglow  cover  Mont  Blanc.  Forty  miles  away  in 


SWITZERLAND  337 

Geneva  the  people  were  gathering  on  the  Quai  to 
gaze  at  the  flush  they  could  view  at  that  distance, 
but  here  the  sight  was  so  supernatural  in  its  beauty 
that  Eunice  and  Edwina  always  afterward  felt  as 
if  they  must  have  seen  into  the  other  world.  The 
colossal  mountain  was  apparently  entirely  of  glow- 
ing, translucent  flame. 

The  exalting  thrill  of  the  sight  held  them  spell- 
bound long  after  they  had  passed  from  it ;  but  in 
a  wild  and  lonely  locality  another  novel  circum- 
stance brought  them  to  earth  figuratively,  and 
came  dangerously  near  doing  so  literally.  Their 
stage  was  one  which  ran  in  connection  with  the  last 
train  leaving  St.  Gervais  that  night  for  Geneva. 
Nine  Americans  on  it  had  their  tickets  for  the  early 
morning  train  for  Paris.  At  the  top  of  a  hill  the 
brake  broke,  and  the  stage  chased  the  horses  down 
the  narrow  incline,  swinging  from  side  to  side  until 
most  of  the  passengers  on  top  were  pale  from  the 
motion  as  well  as  from  fright. 

One  woman  threw  both  her  arms  around  Edwina 
and  clung  there,  despite  the  fact  that  the  girl  had 
hers  clasping  Miss  Pritchard.  As  soon  as  they 
reached  a  level  the  driver  got  down  and  mended 
the  brake  as  well  as  he  could.  Starting,  it  held 
only  for  a  few  rods,  and  again  the  stage  could  only 
be  controlled  by  holding  the  horses  in  at  a  snail's 
pace,  which  would  never  reach  the  depot  in  time 
for  the  train.  The  entire  distance  to  St.  Gervais 
being  down  hill,  the  problem  became  serious. 
One  man's  fears  overcoming  him,  he  descended 


338       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

and  started  off  to  walk.  Then  came  alternations 
of  rushing,  swinging,  and  halting,  and  a  stout  man 
inside  put  his  head  out  at  each  stop  to  inquire  in 
French  if  they  were  about  to  be  upset  down  a 
precipice. 

The  poor  driver  had  exhausted  his  ingenuity, 
and  as  they  luckily  reached  an  inn,  the  men  about 
the  place  joined  with  him  in  the  effort  to  repair 
damages.  But  twilight  was  falling,  and  the  ner- 
vous passengers  began  to  try  to  get  another  con- 
veyance. To  their  astonishment  and  chagrin,  this 
was  impossible.  Vainly  they  offered  high  prices  to 
the  phlegmatic  head  of  the  establishment.  The 
only  horses  he  had  were  due  to  take  a  trip  for 
which  such  a  proceeding  would  unfit  them. 

One  of  the  girls  began  to  cry  and  to  announce 
emphatically  that  she  would  not  stay  there  !  No- 
thing should  induce  her  to  stay  there !  This  de- 
claration made  Edwina  smile,  even  though  the  time 
was  already  growing  so  short  as  to  make  catching 
the  train  difficult  under  the  best  circumstances. 

Just  as  they  were  all  in  despair,  another  stage 
came  into  sight  on  the  road,  and  going  in  the  right 
direction.  Nobody  ever  understood  how  it  came  to 
be  nearly  empty ;  but  so  it  was,  and  there  began  a 
brisk  descent  from  the  broken  vehicle.  Had  the 
driver  of  the  new  one  declined  to  stop,  there  is  no 
telling  what  would  have  occurred  ;  but  he  did  stop, 
and  the  eager  passengers  had  mounted  in  a  twin- 
kling and  were  off.  They  studied  their  watches  and 
urged  the  driver,  but  he  was  sulky  and  would  give 


SWITZERLAND  339 

them  no  satisfaction.  Long  before  they  reached 
St.  Gervais  their  own  stage  came  recklessly  fast  in 
pursuit  and  the  driver  called  to  get  his  passengers 
back,  in  terror,  no  doubt,  of  his  employers  ;  but  the 
new  driver  whipped  his  horses  and  paid  no  atten- 
tion. He  had  no  idea  of  relinquishing  the  money 
he  expected  to  secure  from  the  railroad  company. 

As  they  neared  St.  Gervais  they  met  men  anx- 
iously running  up  the  road  to  search  for  them. 
These  with  gestures  urged  them  on.  The  train  was 
being  held  for  them.  Galloping  to  the  depot,  they 
rushed  from  the  stage  across  the  platform  and 
boarded  the  train  with  sighs  of  relief,  notwith- 
standing their  famished  condition.  Edwina  had 
bought  buns  and  pears  for  her  own  and  her  cousin's 
supper,  and  these  they  cut  up  and  divided  with  the 
six  Americans  who  shared  their  compartment. 
Otherwise  they  went  empty  until  midnight,  when 
they  reached  their  pension  in  Geneva. 

It  was,  of  course,  nothing  new  for  these  two  to 
leave  a  foreign  city  with  regret ;  but  surely  there 
are  not  many  places  with  Geneva's  summer  heat 
which  can  boast  an  utter  absence  of  insects,  even 
of  flies,  in  August.  Not  only  did  they  never  see  a 
mosquito,  but  although  the  windows  of  the  pension 
were  constantly  open,  and  uncovered  bowls  of 
honey  garnished  the  breakfast  table,  no  fly  was  ever 
known  to  approach  their  sweetness. 

"  How  do  you  explain  it  ?  "  Edwina  often  asked 
their  little  French  landlady  ;  and  the  latter  would 
fling  out  her  hands  dramatically ;  "e/e  ne  Vexplique 
pas!" 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN 

THE  next  great  picture  which  nature  presented 
to  the  travelers  was  found  at  Neuhausen,  where 
they  went  to  view  the  Falls  of  the  Rhine.  Their 
room  at  the  Schweizerhof  was  a  proscenium  box 
commanding  the  famous  scene.  They  looked  down 
on  the  thickly  wooded  banks  of  the  curving  river, 
on  the  gray  old  castle  at  the  right,  and  the  bridge 
with  its  nine  arches  which  spans  the  emerald  water 
before  it  rushes  into  the  foam  of  the  broad  cataract. 
A  kind  favor  of  fortune  provided  a  full,  clear  moon 
to  enhance  the  charm  of  the  picture,  and  later  in 
the  evening  artificial  lights,  both  white  and  colored, 
illumined  the  Falls  and  castle. 

The  gardens  and  avenues  about  the  hotel  were 
charming  in  their  floral  and  leafy  display  after 
forty  years'  assiduous  care,  and  Miss  Pritchard  re- 
luctantly mounted  next  morning  into  the  'bus  for 
Schaffhausen.  Scarcely  had  they  left  the  hotel 
grounds,  however,  before  a  circumstance  entirely 
diverted  her  thoughts.  The  strong  horses  stopped 
suddenly  on  a  rise  of  ground,  and  as  Eunice  looked 
inquiringly  for  the  trouble,  she  gave  a  tragic  ex- 
clamation. 


THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN  341 

"  Oh  Ned,  a  great  big  ox  has  got  right  in  the 
way  !  There  's  a  man  pushing  it.  Oh,  I  hope  they 
won't  hurt  the  poor  thing  !  He  's  stopped  us  right 
on  a  hill !  What  will  they  do  ?  " 

Edwina  leaned  forward  to  look,  and  in  half  a 
minute  the  ox  moved  on  and  the  horses  after  it. 
The  girl  laughed. 

"  You  don't  mean  it 's  drawing  us,  Ned  ?  " 

"  It  certainly  is.     The  problem  is  solved." 

Schaffhausen  being  the  border  line  for  Germany, 
there  was  some  delay  at  the  customs,  and  then  our 
travelers  went  smoothly  on  to  Nuremberg.  To 
Edwina  it  was  the  city  of  the  Meistersingers,  and 
their  hotel  was  so  environed  with  cobblestones,  she 
felt  certain  that "  Walther  "  must  have  been  obliged 
to  go  out  into  the  suburbs  to  compose  the  "  Prize 
Song."  They  stayed  several  days  in  this  pictur- 
esque city,  visiting  all  the  famous  spots  and  taking 
long  walks,  with  pauses  on  the  bridges  at  sunset. 

Eunice's  interest  in  foreign  shops  had  been  in- 
creasing of  late,  possibly  according  to  the  saying 
that  blessings  brighten  as  they  take  their  flight. 
One  evening,  as  they  were  wandering  she  looked 
across  the  street.  "  I  want  to  go  over  to  that  lin- 
gery  window,"  she  said. 

"  You  're  rather  ambiguous,"  said  Edwina. 
"  We  have  such  a  fixed  habit  of  shop  windows, 
they  're  all  lingery  windows  to  us  ;  "  but  she  saw 
a  Lingerie  over  the  way,  so  they  crossed. 

Miss  Pritchard  looked  reflectively  for  a  minute 
at  the  black  and  white  ribbon  that  had  attracted 


342       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

her  attention,  and  then  said  she  believed  she  would 
go  in  and  buy  two  litres  of  it. 

Leaving  Nuremberg,  they  proceeded  to  Dresden, 
where  they  stayed  to  see  the  pictures,  and  then 
went  on  to  Berlin.  One  day  while  there  Edwina 
turned  to  Miss  Pritchard.  "  Do  you  know,  cousin 
Eunice,  that  two  weeks  from  to-day  we  sail  for 
home?" 

Eunice  clasped  her  hands  and  sighed  dismally. 
"  Dear  me  !  "  she  cried.  "  I  don't  know  which 
way  to  be  homesick  !  " 

And  so,  feeling  that  the  time  was  short,  they 
enjoyed  sightseeing  with  quite  renewed  zest.  The 
cleanliness,  beauty,  and  coolness  of  Berlin  under 
the  azure  sky  were  a  surprise  to  these  tourists.  The 
word  palace  had  come  to  rouse  every  evil  instinct 
of  their  natures,  so  bored  had  they  often  been  by 
dreary  pilgrimages  through  monotonous,  unused 
rooms,  and  the  one  at  Charlottenburg  seemed  to 
add  insult  to  injury  in  forcing  the  visitors  to  scuff 
about  in  those  hot  felt  slippers  which  one  connects 
with  Widow  Tibbetts  in  the  tale  of  Max  and  Mau- 
rice. However,  it  is  darkest  just  before  day,  and 
Potsdam  was  to  come  and  repay  all  past  wrongs 
and  sufferings  by  the  ideal  home  at  Babelsburg, 
the  romantic  charm  of  Sans  Souci,  where  the 
waters  were  springing,  as  one  German  had  assured 
them  they  would  be,  the  Italian  beauty  of  the 
Orangerie,  and  the  famous  shell-room  of  the  Neues- 
palais ;  that  large  submarine  grotto  composed  en- 
tirely of  shells  of  every  hue  and  semi-precious 


THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN  343 

stones,  interesting  aside  from  itself  in  being  the 
room  where  the  Emperor  and  his  ideal  family  hold 
their  Christmas  and  other  festivities.  Beside 
these  there  were  many  other  joys  at  Potsdam,  to 
all  of  which  Eunice  and  Edwina  did  justice. 

It  was  in  Berlin  that  Miss  Pritchard  passed  out 
from  under  her  courier's  control  with  regard  to 
shopping.  "  I  've  always  heard  that  Germany  was 
the  place  to  buy  linen,"  she  replied  when  Edwina 
questioned  her  interest  in  napery.  "  You  will  be 
out  of  school,  and  you  will  be  wanting  to  entertain, 
Ned.  I  want  you  to  do  it  as  prettily  as  any  of 
the  girls."  It  was  the  first  reference  Eunice  had 
made  to  prospects  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

"  I  shall  not  entertain  much.  It  would  be  a 
great  bother  to  you,  cousin  Eunice,  so  don't  buy 
such  expensive  things." 

But  Eunice  loved  fine  linen,  and  the  shopkeepers 
tempted  her  so  successfully  that  Edwina  protested 
more  than  once  as  tablecloths,  napkins,  and  centre- 
pieces of  satin-like  texture,  exquisite  designs,  and 
delicate  embroidery,  were  one  after  another  ac- 
cepted. 

"  Are  you  forgetting  the  customs,  cousin  Eu- 
nice ?  "  asked  Edwina  at  last. 

"  Let  me  alone,  Ned.  I  'm  having  a  splendid 
time,"  was  the  only  response. 

They  had  called  the  roll  of  their  trunks,  some 
from  Paris  and  some  from  Cannes,  and  at  last  all 
were  packed  and  ready  to  start  for  Hamburg. 
The  few  days  spent  in  the  latter  city  were  very 


344       MISS  PEITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TEIP 

pleasant.  There  was  such  a  sense  of  irresponsibility 
in  having  given  up  all  luggage  except,  such  as  they 
could  carry  in  their  hands,  to  the  steamship  com- 
pany's care.  Now  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  kill 
time  in  the  attractive  seaport. 

They  were  to  sail  on  Sunday.  Saturday  evening 
after  Edwina  had  retired,  she  lay  awake  for  a  long 
time,  thinking.  This  was  her  last  night  in  a  for- 
eign land;  the  last  night  of  the  trip  which  always 
would  be  the  great  event  of  her  life,  since  it  had 
brought  her  Champion's  love.  She  thought  back 
to  the  first  day  out  from  New  York,  when  she  had 
noticed  him  in  the  dining  saloon  of  the  ship.  From 
that  her  memory  deliberately  rehearsed  the  year's 
events ;  and  while  she  thought,  a  chime  of  bells 
began  to  play  a  hymn.  This  had  not  occurred  on 
the  previous  evenings.  Probably  it  was  a  Satur- 
day night  ceremony ;  but  to  Edwina  the  music  was 
the  out- voluntary  of  her  trip.  Two  parts  were  car- 
ried by  the  bells  in  remarkable  accord,  and  the 
slow,  persistent  sweetness  of  the  dignified  old 
choral,  repeated  again  and  again  through  the  even- 
ing stillness,  accompanied  and  added  significance 
to  the  impressions  that  surged  through  her  brain. 

"  Whatever  comes,  I  have  had  this  year,"  she 
thought,  as  disturbing  reflections  arose.  "  What- 
ever comes,  I  have  had  this  year." 

Champion  had  faithfully  abstained  from  writing 
her,  and  she  knew  what  it  must  have  cost  him. 
In  his  letters  to  Miss  Pritchard  he  had  made 
no  reference  to  returning  to  America.  Of  course, 


THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN  345 

Edwina  suspected  his  intention  to  return  on  their 
ship,  and  read  his  failure  to  mention  it  as  a  fear 
that  she  might  request  him  not  to  do  so ;  but  her 
opportunities  of  communication  with  him  had  been 
so  scanty  she  was  not  certain  but  that  his  profes- 
sional plans  would  detain  him  past  their  sailing 
date.  If  he  did  not  appear  on  the  ship,  she  had 
made  up  her  mind  to  break  the  truth  to  Miss 
Pritchard  before  they  should  reach  New  York 
Harbor.  If  he  did  —  how  strong  and  sweet  rang 
out  the  old  choral !  —  she  should  see  him  in  three 
days  at  farthest.  Not  a  thought  could  she  form 
beyond  this,  and  she  went  to  sleep  with  it  close, 
close  at  her  heart. 

Miss  Pritchard,  in  a  cosy  room  to  which  the 
chimes  did  not  penetrate,  was  fortunate  enough  to 
have  no  thoughts  during  the  night ;  but  the  morn- 
ing brought  many.  She  was  so  absorbed  while 
they  were  riding  in  the  train  to  Cuxhaven  that  she 
did  not  remark  Edwina's  silence.  To-day  closed 
the  most  precious,  brightest  chapter  in  her  life's 
history.  That  which  had  so  long  been  postponed 
to  a  vague  future  was  now  hard  upon  her,  and  she 
tried  to  prepare  her  mind  to  face  the  new  order  of 
things.  If  only  Edwina  had  been  an  unattractive, 
plain  girl !  But  Eunice  quickly  renounced  that 
aspiration,  for  in  such  a  case  the  child  would  not 
have  resembled  her  father.  It  filled  her  with  a 
sort  of  wonder  at  herself  to  mark  with  what  light- 
ning quickness  the  thought  arose ;  and  her  face 
grew  sad  as  she  pondered  on  the  nature  of  woman, 


346       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

and  how  futile  it  was  for  her  to  hope  to  stem  the 
tide  in  the  next  generation.  When  more  than  an 
hour  had  passed  and  she  still  kept  silence,  Edwina 
leaned  toward  her. 

"  I  had  no  idea  it  was  such  a  long  ride,  had 

you?" 

"  No,  I  supposed  we  might  be  on  the  train  half 
an  hour." 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  borrowing  trouble  about 
the  voyage,"  continued  the  girl.  "  This  trip  has 
made  you  so  strong  that  you  can  laugh  at  the 
waves.  Remember  the  Channel." 

Eunice  regarded  her  with  pensive  affection. 
"  Is  n't  it  wonderful  that  the  time  has  really  come 
to  go  home  ?  It  has  seemed  far  off  for  so  long. 
I  feel  very  sentimental,  somehow,  Ned." 

"  Yes,  have  n't  we  had  a  perfect  time  ? "  re- 
sponded the  girl,  leaning  her  head  against  the  cush- 
ions close  to  her  cousin.  "  Shan't  we  live  on  it 
for  years  ?  Sentimental  —  why,  I  'm  a  mush  of 
sentiment,  cousin  Eunice  !  Unburden  your  heart 
as  much  as  you  like." 

Miss  Pritchard's  breath  caught  in  a  deep  uncon- 
scious sigh.  It  was  so  impossible  to  accept  this 
invitation. 

Long,  long  stretches  of  green  meadows,  and  at 
last  the  travelers  began  to  see  the  tops  of  masts 
apparently  growing  from  the  salt  marshes.  The 
train  was  long  and  loaded,  and  when  Cuxhaven 
was  reached  it  was  a  weary  time  before  all  the 
tickets,  first-class  and  second-class,  and  steerage, 


THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN  347 

could  be  examined  and  the  passengers  pass  on  to 
the  tender.  All  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  handsome 
Patricia  waiting  at  anchor.  Eunice  and  Edwina's 
feet  abandoned  the  foreign  soil  reluctantly,  and 
as  the  tender  steamed  away,  the  band  on  the  great 
steamer  began  to  play  the  Austrian  Hymn.  Full 
and  clear  it  rang  across  the  water,  chiming  too 
touchingly  with  their  sensitive  mood,  and  they 
looked  at  each  other  through  dim  eyes.  The  tender 
approached  the  ship.  The  hymn  finished,  and  im- 
mediately the  band  began  to  play  "The  Star 
Spangled  Banner." 

"  Oh  Ned !  "  wailed  Miss  Pritchard.  "  I  did  n't 
know  I  had  so  much  wickedness  in  me!  That 
doesn't  sound  half  so  well  as  the  other." 

"  You  see,  it 's  time  I  took  you  home,"  returned 
the  girl. 

During  the  first  twenty-four  hours  of  the  voyage 
they  passed  through  rough  water,  and  Edwina  de- 
voted herself  to  her  cousin,  who  by  dint  of  taking 
her  meals  on  deck,  maintained  her  equilibrium. 
When  they  anchored  at  Boulogne,  Miss  Pritchard 
moved  to  the  boat's  side  with  a  crowd  of  her  neigh- 
bors to  see  the  tender  come  out.  The  band  played 
the  Austrian  Hymn  again,  and  she  looked  at  the 
shores  of  France  with  wistful  eyes.  Two  gray 
old  windmills  were  turning  on  a  green  hill.  Soon 
the  strains  of  the  Marseillaise  made  martial 
melody.  The  tender  was  approaching,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  Miss  Pritchard  began  to  see  strange 
faces  appearing  about  her  as  the  new  arrivals 


348       MISS  PRITCIIAR&S   WEDDING   TRIP 

rushed  hither  and  thither,  all  at  one  time  demand- 
ing chairs  of  the  distracted  deck  steward. 

Only  now  did  Eunice  observe  that  Edwina 
was  not  by  her  side.  She  had  been  there  but  a 
few  moments  ago  ;  but  suddenly  a  familiar  face 
and  form  approached,  hands  outstretched.  "  Mr. 
Champion  !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Pritchard.  "  We 
had  n't  an  idea  you  were  coming." 

"  Of  course  not,"  he  returned,  half  laughing. 
"  I  knew  there  was  many  a  slip  betwixt  cup  and 
lip,  and  thought  I  would  surprise  you  if  I  could." 

"  And  you  could,"  said  Edwina,  who  now  made 
her  appearance.  "  Cousin  Eunice,  what  an  un- 
candid  correspondent  you  have."  She  was  a  little 
pale  in  the  brisk  breeze  as  she  greeted  him,  but 
her  manner  was  composed. 

"  I  knew  Miss  Pritchard  could  n't  very  well  get 
home  without  me.  I  did  n't  want  her  to  try,  any- 
way." 

"  Oh,  I  'm  a  proud  lady  since  we  crossed  the 
Channel,"  said  Eunice.  "  I  have  n't  an  idea  of 
giving  out  on  this  voyage." 

"  Good  enough  !  We  '11  go  to  walk  every  day 
and  you  shall  see  another  side  of  ocean  travel.  Au 
revoir  ;  I  suppose  I  had  better  look  up  my  room." 

When  his  tall  and  joyous  person  had  vanished, 
Eunice  looked  at  Edwina,  who  felt  the  color  flood- 
ing back  into  her  face. 

"  Well,  is  n't  that  surprising  ?  "  asked  Miss 
Pritchard.  "  How  did  he  manage  it  at  such  a  full 
season  ?  " 


THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN  349 

"  I  think  a  certain  small  person  must  have  told 
tales  long,  long  ago ;  but  I  'm  not  going  to  scold 
you,  cousin  Eunice." 

"  I  'd  better  go  to  my  chair,  now,  though,  Ned. 
Discretion  is  the  better  part  of  valor.  I  do  hope 
I  shan't  have  to  make  an  exhibition  of  myself  this 
time." 

It  proved  as  the  days  went  by  that  Miss  Pritch- 
ard  was  not  obliged  to  remain  below,  and  Edwina 
for  the  most  part  stayed  devotedly  beside  her. 
Howard  Champion  had  placed  his  chair  on  Eunice's 
other  hand,  a  proceeding  which  she  permitted 
doubtfully. 

"  You  must  n't  expect  to  find  me  myself,"  she 
announced.  "  I  'm  just  getting  along.  I  'm  not 
having  a  good  time,  and  I  don't  feel  like  talking." 

He  smiled.  "  Just  say  the  word  and  I  '11  take 
my  chair  to  the  other  end  of  the  ship." 

"  No,"  returned  Eunice,  faintly  smiling  also. 
"  I  can  stand  it  if  you  can." 

As  much  as  anything  could  compel  her  approval 
on  an  ocean  steamer,  his  behavior  did  so.  Her 
wishes  were  anticipated  without  ostentation,  his 
visits  were  not  too  frequent  nor  his  stays  too  long, 
and  his  cheerfulness  did  not  abate  under  the  calm 
civility  of  Edwina's  manner. 

He  occasionally  took  the  latter  away  from  her 
cousin  and  her  book,  to  walk  or  to  play  shuffle- 
board.  The  first  time,  they  went  to  a  remote 
corner  of  the  deck  and  paused  beside  the  rail. 
"  You  're  not  vexed  that  I  did  this,  Edwina  ?  " 


350       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

The  girl's  carefully  passive  face  suddenly  glowed. 
"  Vexed  that  this  ship  is  not  carrying  me  away 
from  you  —  that  the  ocean  is  not  going  to  divide 
us?" 

He  looked  into  her  speaking  eyes  and  at  the 
wind-ruffled  hair  under  her  Tarn  O'Shanter,  and 
came  a  step  nearer. 

She  retreated.  "  Do  remember  it  is  the  middle 
of  the  day  !  "  she  said  quickly. 

"  We  will  walk  this  evening  ?  "  he  asked.  "  I 
have  eight  letters  from  you  to  answer." 

Edwina  made  a  gesture.  "  I  would  not  have 
believed  I  could  do  it.  To  keep  writing  without  a 
reply  " 

"  I  did  reply.  I  wrote  at  least  three  to  your 
one." 

"  And  destroyed  them  !  "  with  tragical  reproach. 

"  Not  I."  He  took  from  an  inside  pocket  a 
package  which  she  received  and  held  in  both 
hands. 

They  leaned  against  the  rail  facing  one  another, 
and  the  chatting  couples  that  sauntered  past  all 
gave  them  looks  of  which  the  girl  was  conscious  ; 
but  Champion  was  too  deeply  absorbed  in  studying 
each  feature  and  trick  of  movement  which  had 
been  mentally  with  him  for  five  long  months. 

"  Now  what  is  the  plan,  Edwina  ?  "  he  asked  in 
a  low,  conversational  tone.  "  I  have  obeyed  you  to 
the  letter,  but  the  time  is  up.  I  want  to  kiss  that 
lock  of  hair  blowing  against  your  temple." 

She  tucked  the  lock  back,  where  it  stayed  for 
two  seconds. 


THE  AUSTRIAN  HYMN  351 

"  Perhaps  you  have  n't  any  plan,"  he  went  on. 
"  Then  I  have.  It  is  to  talk  to  Miss  Pritchard 
this  afternoon." 

"  Oh,  you  would  n't,  surely  —  not  while  she  feels 
—  feels  so  upset !  ' ' 

"  Well,  you  and  I  will  come  to  a  decision  this 
evening.  There  is  too  much  sunshine  at  present 
for  me  to  induce  you  to  look  at  things  as  I  do. 
You  may  see  better  in  the  dark." 

"  Howard,  we  must  n't.  I  must  n't.  I  can't 
come  out  here  to-night  in  a  clandestine  way,  and 
have  cousin  Eunice  wondering  where  I  am,  and 
asking  me  questions  when  I  go  back.  We  must 
wait." 

He  nodded  thoughtfully.  "  I  suspected  you 
might  say  so.  How  long  do  you  suppose  I  am  to 
submit  to  look  at  you  over  a  wall,  gagged,  and 
with  my  hands  tied  ?  " 

"  Listen,"  said  the  girl  earnestly.  "  I  have 
promised  her  I  would  never  marry  any  one  till  she 
asked  me  to." 

"  When  did  you  do  that  ?  " 

"  Just  before  —  before  we  went  to  —  the  Cata- 
combs." 

"  Why  did  you  do  it  ?  " 

"  Because  —  because  —  I  wanted  to." 

Champion  smiled.  "  You  should  have  consulted 
me." 

"  I  was  only  guessing  about  you  then,  you  see." 

"  If  you  had  a  moment's  doubt,  that  was  only 
due  me.  You  kept  me  guessing  the  best  part  of  a 
year." 


352        MISS  PEITCIIAR&S    WEDDING    TEIP 

"  So  when  cousin  Eunice  has  this  feeling  against 
everything,  you  see  what  an  unwise  time  it  is  to 
ask  her  to  be  pleased  with  the  one  thing  in  all  the 
world  she  dislikes  most." 

"  Which  is  "  - 

"  Why,  the  thought  of  my  —  of  losing  me. 
Howard,"  looking  up  at  him  appealingly,  "  I  know 
it  is  a  great  deal  to  ask  "  — 

"  I  know  it  is,  too ;  and  that  ring  of  hair  is 
blowing  against  your  temple  again,  and  the  sun 
won't  even  go  under  a  cloud." 

"  But  you  are  n't  going  to  spoil  everything,  I 
hope!" 

"  It  could  n't  be  spoiled.  I  have  to  stalk  about 
with  you  like  a  mere  acquaintance,  and  have  to 
receive  from  you  the  sort  of  civility  you  might  give 
to  one  of  the  steerage  passengers." 

Edwina  bit  her  lip.  "  Mark  my  words,  you  will 
make  a  great  mistake.  Don't  you  notice  that 
cousin  Eunice  does  n't  even  treat  you  as  usual  ? 
She  feels  that  awful  general  repugnance." 

"  So  do  I.  See  here,  Edwina,  my  beautiful  dar- 
ling " 

"  For  pity's  sake !  "  exclaimed  the  girl,  her 
cheeks  glowing,  as  a  portly  woman  passed,  and 
slowly  regarded  them.  "  Do  speak  lower !  " 

"  Oh,  I  'm  on  confidential  terms  with  that 
woman,  anyway.  You  need  n't  mind  her.  She 
was  telling  me  this  morning  about  her  travels. 
She  said  she  had  such  a  stupid  cabman  one  whole 
day  in  Rome  that  she  nearly  pulled  his  coat-tails 


353 

off ;  and  she  never  could  say  '  Mercy  '  to  him,  for 
he  never  did  anything  right." 

"  There  is  n't  anything  or  anybody  stupid  in 
Rome,"  sighed  Edwina.  "  I  love  every  little  square 
of  lava  in  the  streets." 

The  blood  slowly  mounted  in  Champion's  face 
as  he  looked  down  on  her  intently.  "  And  yet  you 
won't  meet  me  out  here  this  evening  and  tell  me 
why?" 

"  Howard  !  "  reproachfully.    "  /am  far-sighted." 

"  I  doubt  it.  I  think  those  eyes,  the  prettiest 
that  were  ever  set  in  a  woman's  head,  have  astig- 
matism. You  see  me  with  one,  but  the  other  can't 
get  past  Miss  Pritehard.  Now,  you  've  had  a  good, 
long  try  at  this  affair,  Edwina.  You  let  me  handle 
it  a  while." 

The  girl  drew  a  deep  breath.  "  Of  course,  I 
can't  control  you,  if  you  won't  be  controlled,  but  one 
thing,  unless  you  are  a  madman,  you  will  wait  for, 
and  that  is  a  smooth  day  —  much  smoother  than 
this.  Now  I  must  go  back." 

"  And  would  rather  go  without  me  ?  " 

"  A  hundred  times." 

"  Then  shake  hands." 

"  Nonsense  !     I  can't ;  I  'm  holding  the  letters." 

"  Going  to  read  them  to  Miss  Pritehard  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  "  ejaculated  Edwina.  "  Supposing  I 
should  drop  one  !  Here,  take  them.  Keep  them 
a  while.  I  have  n't  so  much  as  a  pocket." 

She  put  them  in  his  hand,  and  he  made  a  feint 
of  tossing  them  overboard. 


354      MISS  PRITCHARWS    WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Howard  !  "  The  cry  was  so  loud  that  every- 
body in  that  vicinity  turned. 

"  You  are  making  us  very  conspicuous,  my  love," 
he  remarked. 

"  Oh,  give  them  to  me  this  instant !  How  could 
I  have  let  them  go  !  I  will  take  them." 

Champion  gave  her  hand  a  pressure  as  he  put 
the  package  into  it,  and  she  hurried  away  without 
another  word. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   OPAL   DAY 

CHAMPION  did  wait  for  the  quiet  day,  and  it 
came.  All  the  passengers  on  that  trip  will  recall 
the  morning  when  it  was  difficult  to  remember 
that  one  was  on  a  ship,  when  the  air  scarcely 
stirred,  and  the  wide,  unrippled  sea  lay  like  a  vast 
opal  under  the  dreaming  sky.  The  boat's  motion 
was  undiscernible,  and  Miss  Pritchard  suddenly 
felt  her  every  faculty  restored.  Ed  win  a  as  sud- 
denly became  unstrung.  She  knew  that  to-day 
would  be  a  fateful  one  for  her,  and  when  she  re- 
ceived a  look  from  her  lover  as  he  drew  his  chair 
close  to  Miss  Pritchard's,  she  said  that  she  must 
go  below  and  take  advantage  of  this  quiet  season 
to  alter  certain  arrangements  in  the  stateroom. 

Scarcely  had  she  disappeared  when  Champion 
opened  his  subject.  He  was  sitting  forward  in  his 
chair,  leaning  toward  Eunice,  who  regarded  him 
with  a  leniency  not  of  late  observable  in  her  con- 
templation of  her  kind.  "  I  am  glad  Miss  Wilder 
has  gone,"  he  said,  "  for  I  have  been  wishing  for 
opportunity  for  a  confidential  talk  with  you." 

"  Something  more  about  that  sweetheart  you 
are  going  home  to?"  asked  his  companion  kindly. 


356       MISS  PRITCHAR&S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Since  you  told  me  that  you  have  no  mother,  I 
am  the  more  glad  to  do  anything  I  can  for  you." 

"  You  told  me  in  Rome,  perhaps  you  remember, 
that  I  was  welcome  to  ask  a  favor  of  you  some- 
time." 

"  I  certainly  did." 

"  But  I  am  going  to  surprise  you.  I  love  your 
child,  Eclwina." 

Eunice  leaned  back  heavily  in  her  reclining 
chair,  and  her  hand  clasped  the  arm.  "  But  your 
—  your  sweetheart  that  you  told  us  of  —  whose 
health  we  drank  in  the  supper  room  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  other  sweetheart.  I  loved  her  from 
the  first.  I  loved  her  on  the  ship.  I  want  your 
good  wishes,  and  sanction,  and  influence." 

"  But  Mr.  Champion,"  Eunice  swallowed  with 
difficulty.  "  I  should  think  you  could  see,  you 
must  often  have  seen,  that  you  were  not  —  not  a 
favorite  with  Edwina." 

"  I  fought  that  conviction  for  some  time,  but 
your  word,  your  opinion,  your  wish  would  be 
everything  to  her." 

His  frank  eyes  were  studying  Eunice's  excited, 
flushing  face  earnestly.  "  I  want  to  be  as  good  a 
son  to  you  as  I  am  husband  to  Edwina.  I  want 
to  do  a  hundred  things  for  you  that  I  never  had  a 
chance  to  do  for  my  mother.  I  have  done  some- 
thing ;  forgive  me  for  mentioning  it,  but  all 's 
fair  now.  You  have  seemed  to  like  me." 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Champion,"  returned  Miss  Pritchard 
gravely,  "  I  do  like  you  ;  but  I  must  have  time  for 


THE  OPAL  DAY  357 

this.  You  are  asking  of  me  my  all,  my  all.  Before 
we  say  anything  further  I  must  talk  with  Edwina." 

"  In  my  favor  ?  "  The  young  man  took  his  com- 
panion's hand  to  assist  her,  for  she  was  rising  from 
her  chair,  and  he  retained  it  a  little.  "  You  think 
me  over-sanguine,  perhaps,  but  it  is  only  because 
I  am  counting  on  your  help.  This  is  a  matter  of 
life  and  death  to  me,  Miss  Pritchard." 

Eunice  raised  her  gentle  eyes  to  his  with  a  look 
that  made  him  feel  for  the  moment  convicted  of 
aggressive  selfishness.  "  It  is  the  same  to  me,  Mr. 
Champion." 

Walking  away,  the  little  woman  took  a  few 
turns  up  and  down  the  end  of  the  deck,  her  eyes 
on  the  opal  tints  of  the  water,  her  cheeks  flushed. 
Then  she  sought  the  stairway  and  descended  to 
the  stateroom,  where  Edwina  was  putting  a  closet 
in  order.  The  girl  looked  up  with  a  start  at  her 
entrance. 

"Are  you  about  through  here,  Ned?"  she 
asked.  "  It  is  a  pity  to  spend  any  of  this  day  in- 
doors. Beside,  I  wish  to  talk  with  you.  Can  we 
find  a  quiet  place  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,"  replied  Edwina,  nonplused  at  her 
cousin's  collected  manner,  and  endeavoring  to  imi- 
tate it.  Had  Howard  not  carried  out  his  purpose  ? 

They  left  the  cabin,  passed  the  groups  of  play- 
ers at  shuffle-board  on  the  lower  deck,  and  found  a 
secluded  corner  of  which  they  took  possession. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  about  you  a  great  deal 
to-day,  Xed.  I  have  a  great  deal  to  say  to  you." 


358       MISS  PKITCHABD'S   WEDDING   TEIP 

Miss  Pritchard  looked  off  for  a  brief  space,  and 
Edwina  observed  the  trembling  of  her  lips.  In  a 
minute  she  went  on  :  "I  wish  I  could  secure  my 
own  self-control  for  the  next  half  hour.  I  don't 
want  to  be  interrupted  or  bothered  by  tears  or  any 
nonsense  of  that  kind." 

Edwina  regarded  her,  more  and  more  aston- 
ished. For  wailing  and  bemoaning  she  had  been 
prepared,  but  not  for  this. 

"  In  a  few  days  we  shall  reach  home,  Ned,  and 
I  don't  wish  to  stand  in  the  way  of  its  being  a  per- 
fectly happy  home-coming  to  you.  Mr.  Champion 
has  been  telling  me  that  he  cares  for  you." 

The  girl,  sitting  at  her  cousin's  feet,  stole  her 
hand  into  Eunice's  and  kept  her  questioning  eyes 
upon  her. 

"  You  have  shown  me  innumerable  times  that  he 
was  not  agreeable  to  you.  You  have  shown  me  as 
often  that  Mr.  Glenn  was  so.  On  Easter  in  the 
Borghese  Gardens  you  impressed  me  as  dejected 
because  I  was  opposed  to  Mr.  Glenn.  You  have 
volunteered  to  marry  no  one  unless  I  ask  you  to 
do  so.  I  want  you  to  touch  the  dock  in  New  York 
a  happier  girl  than  the  one  who  left  it.  You  have 
shown  great  eagerness  to  go  home.  Very  well ; 
I  know  sufficient  about  Mr.  Glenn  to  make  me 
willing  to  ask  you  to  marry  him,  if  you  wish  it." 

A  spasm  of  surprise  passed  over  the  young  face. 
"  Oh  no,  cousin  Eunice !  No  1 " 

"  You  speak  with  a  great  deal  of  repugnance. 
What  does  it  mean  ?  " 


THE  OPAL  DAY  359 

"  What  do  you  mean,  cousin  Eunice  ?  "  was  the 
uneasy  response.  "  You  don't  talk  like  yourself. 
You  don't  act  like  yourself.  Did  —  did  Mr.  Cham- 
pion offend  you  ?  "  she  added  timidly. 

Something  in  her  guardian's  attitude  and  ex- 
pression as  she  sat  above  her  looking  down  with 
strange  resolve  in  her  eyes,  perplexed  and  troubled 
Edwina's  soul. 

Eunice's  look,  returning  the  gaze  of  the  loved 
face,  softened.  "  My  little  Ned,"  she  said  in  a 
changed  tone,  "  I  am  going  to  surprise  you  very 
much.  That's  right,  hold  my  hand,  and  let  us 
never  for  a  moment  think  apart."  Eunice  made  a 
scarcely  perceptible  pause,  then  went  on  slowly. 
"  I  have  known,  dear,  ever  since  that  night  in  the 
Colosseum." 

Edwina  started  back,  gazed,  then  bowed  her 
head  on  the  other's  knee. 

"  I  turned  at  the  moment  you  were  in  Mr. 
Champion's  arms.  I  saw  him  kiss  you,"  she  con- 
tinued, stroking  the  uncovered  head.  "  I  myself 
was  the  martyr,  the  cruelly  used  martyr  for  whom 
in  my  distraction  I  was  crying.  I  said  anything, 
anything  that  came  into  my  head.  If  you  were 
secretive,  then  I  must  be  so  too,  until  I  had  had 
time  to  think.  You  were  not  a  girl  with  whom  a 
man  could  take  an  idle  liberty.  Moreover,  you 
were  evidently  not  offended.  Then  you  had  been 
deceiving  me.  I  had  told  you  I  could  not  bear  a 
surprise,  but  you  had  not  confided  in  me." 

Impulsively  Edwina  raised  her  head  to  speak. 


360       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Wait,  Ned.     Hear  me  first ;  then  I  will  hear 

you." 

The  girl  again  bowed  her  face  under  the  loving 
hand. 

"  Through  the  wretched  hours  of  that  eternal 
night  I  fought  a  terrible  fight.  Was  ever  martyr 
more  cruelly  torn  by  beasts  than  I  by  the  mer- 
ciless claws  of  suspicion  and  grief  ?  Light  was 
thrown  upon  a  dozen  situations  where  I  had  been 
a  butt  and  laughing-stock  for  you  and  your  lover 
—  you,  whose  frankness  and  loyalty  I  would  have 
staked  my  life  upon.  Wait,  Ned,  wait." 

Miss  Pritchard's  soothing  hand  began  again  to 
smooth  the  girl's  hair. 

"  All  Mr.  Champion's  kindness  and  favors  grew 
suddenly  hateful.  They  had  all  been  calculated, 
and  meant  only  grasping  for  my  little  girl  and  win- 
ning her  into  deceit.  I  could  not  stay  in  bed.  I 
walked  up  and  down  in  agony  of  mind,  until  tor- 
ture reached  a  point  where  numbness  set  in.  Then 
other  thoughts  began  whispering  themselves  to  me. 
Your  whole  life  rose  up,  a  record  of  truth  and  de- 
votion, and  plead  for  you.  Must  you  be  condemned 
so  quickly  ?  Perhaps  there  was  some  explanation 
of  your  silence  beyond  a  mere  desire  not  to  c-Jill 
down  my  disapproval  of  your  love-affair.  1  deter- 
mined to  wait, — to  see  what  you  would  do;  to 
watch  your  plan  if  you  had  one.  Meanwhile  I 
tried  not  to  feel  such  hatred  of  Mr.  Champion  as 
at  first  welled  up  in  my  heart.  How  could  he 
help  loving  you  ?  I  determined  to  try  to  be  fair 


THE  OPAL  DAY  361 

to  him,  and  if  your  action  was  being  prompted  by 
love  for  me,  it  might  be  proved.  By  the  time 
dawn  brought  its  natural  help  for  nightmares,  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  control  myself  and  keep 
silence.  It  was  clear  that  I  could  not  talk  with 
you  while  the  wound  was  so  fresh,  without  misery 
to  us  both,  for  enmity  toward  Mr.  Champion  kept 
springing  up  in  me.  '  Love  your  enemies,'  I  said 
to  myself  many  times  an  hour  in  those  days  after 
Easter  when  we  rushed  about  so  from  place  to 
place.  I  said  it  while  the  angel-voices  were  sing- 
ing in  the  Pantheon,  I  said  it  to  the  Arch  of  Con- 
stantine  at  the  Forum,  and  at  the  house  of  Livia 
on  the  Palatine.  When  we  went  out  to  Tivoli 
and  saw  that  immense  waterfall  sending  clouds  of 
smoke  over  the  valley,  I  looked  into  the  lovely 
rainbow  that  spanned  it,  and  thought  only  of  Mr. 
Champion.  '  He  could  n't  help  it,'  I  said  to  my- 
self again.  '  Love  your  enemies.'  I  repeated  it 
to  the  giant  cypress  in  the  gardens  of  the  Villa 
d'Este,  and  again  at  Hadrian's  Villa.  All  those 
spots  seem  to  me  now  like  places  seen  in  a  dream. 
By  Thursday  morning,  when  Mr.  Champion  came 
to  ask  us  to  go  over  the  Vatican,  I  had  myself  in 
hand.  The  more  I  looked  at  you  in  this  new  light, 
the  less  the  wound  ached  that  you  had  given  me. 
Whatever  was  influencing  you,  I  began  to  be  cer- 
tain that  it  could  mean  no  lack  of  love  for  me ; 
and  there  was  something  new  in  your  tenderness." 
"  Oh  cousin  Eunice !  How  good,  how  gener- 
ous !  "  murmured  Edwina. 


362       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

"  Then  we  went  away ;  and  you  thought  I 
didn't  see  that  you  were  grateful  to  Mr.  Cham- 
pion for  not  betraying  the  situation.  Ah  Ned,  it 
wrenched  my  heart  that  you  felt  the  parting  so ; 
but,  my  little  girl,  not  a  jot  of  your  sweetness  and 
patience  and  unselfishness  in  the  months  that 
came  afterward  has  been  lost  on  me.  I  saw  you 
had  even  cut  yourself  off  from  receiving  letters 
from  your  lover ;  though  perhaps  you  wrote  to 
him.  Often  I  was  tempted  to  talk  to  you;  but 
always  my  own  shrinking  from  it  was  too  strong. 
You  were  n't  unhappy,  and  that  new  strength  and 
womanliness  in  your  face  were  growing  out  of 
your  love.  You  had  some  plan.  I  did  n't  doubt 
you  had  set  some  limit  in  your  mind.  Perhaps 
you  knew  that  Mr.  Champion  was  going  home 
with  us  "  — 

"  I  did  n't.     I  did  n't  know  it." 

"  At  any  rate,"  went  on  Miss  Pritchard  with  a 
sad  smile,  "  I  suspected  that  you  wished  my  wed- 
ding trip  to  be  finished  before  there  was  any  talk 
of  yours.  Now,  Ned  darling,  I  've  taken  a  long 
time  for  my  fight,  a  long  time  to  do  my  thinking. 
I  didn't  know  before  how  selfish  I  was  in  my 
clinging  to  you  ;  but  your  unselfishness  has  taught 
me  a  lesson."  The  speaker's  eyes,  looking  wist- 
fully across  to  the  opal  sea,  caught  sight  of  Cham- 
pion, who  had  discovered  them  and  was  lingering 
near  watching  the  sunshine  on  Edwina's  hair  and 
wondering  what  her  attitude  betokened. 

Eunice  caught  his   eye.     How  many   pleasant 


THE  OPAL  DAY  363 

associations  she  had  with  the  tall,  straight-limbed 
figure,  the  broad  shoulders,  and  the  frank,  strong 
countenance.  That  smile  which  she  had  often 
praised  now  disclosed  his  gleaming  teeth  as  he 
met  her  gaze.  How,  once,  Ned  Wilder's  smile 
had  warmed  her  heart !  Had  she  forgotten  those 
cravings  of  hers,  that  she  should  begrudge  their 
satisfaction  to  his  daughter?  A  motion  of  her 
hand  sufficed  to  make  Champion  advance  with 
alacrity.  Edwina  lifted  her  eyes,  wet  with  unshed 
tears. 

"  She  saw  us,  Howard,"  she  said  to  him  brokenly. 
"  She  saw  us  in  the  Colosseum.  She  has  known 
all  the  time.  I  've  done  everything  she  told  me 
not  to.  I  've  surprised  her,  and  deceived  her,  and 
yet  she  forgives  me  and  never  says  a  reproachful 
word.  All  these  months  !  Was  ever  any  one  so 
good,  so  generous  !  " 

Miss  Pritchard's  improvised  seat  was  not  a  very 
wide  one,  but  Champion  immediately  made  it  broad 
enough  for  two,  putting  his  arm  around  Eunice  to 
hold  her  beside  him.  She  colored,  but  did  not 
look  offended. 

"  I  wished  to  tell  you  from  the  start,"  he  said, 
"  but  Edwina  was  sure  she  knew  best.  I  wanted 
to  talk  it  right  out  with  you,  and  ask  your  permis- 
sion in  good  form." 

"  But  you  see,  Ned  knew  I  might  refuse  it  in 
every  sort  of  form,  good  and  bad,  if  you  were  too 
sudden." 

"  How   lovely   you   are   to  understand,    cousin 


364       MISS  PRITCHARD'S    WEDDING   TRIP 

Eunice  !  "  Edwina  still  kept  her  head  in  her  cous- 
in's lap,  as  if  she  dreaded  to  take  a  loftier  position. 

"  Have  you  asked  her  yet  to  marry  me  ?  "  said 
Champion. 

"  No.  Will  you  marry  him,  Ned  ?  "  asked  Miss 
Pritchard  gently. 

"  Not  unless  you  'd  like  it  better  than  anything," 
came  the  muffled  reply. 

"  She  would,"  said  Champion,  giving  the  slight 
little  figure  in  his  arm  a  closer  pressure.  "  She 
can't  get  along  without  me." 

"  We  can't  get  along  without  her,"  the  voice 
still  more  muffled.  "  Tell  her  so,  Howard." 

"  Most  certainly,"  he  responded.  "  What  sort 
of  a  household  could  we  expect  to  run  without 
cousin  Eunice's  better  judgment  to  fall  back 
upon  ?  " 

"  No,  children.  I  have  n't  thought  so  much 
about  this  without  considering  that  question.  Mi- 
randa and  I  may  live  near,  but  it  would  be  against 
my  better  "  — 

"  Then  I  won't,  I  can't,  I  never  will "  —  burst 
forth  Edwina.  "  You  don't  really  want  me  to 
marry." 

"  My  dear  Ned,  why  then  do  you  suppose  I 
bought  all  that  linen  in  Berlin  ?  " 

At  this  Edwina's  head  flew  up,  much  ruffled  as 
to  hair  and  flushed  and  tear-stained  as  to  face,  but 
in  Mr.  Champion's  critical  and  impartial  judgment, 
prettier  than  ever. 

She  stared  at  her  cousin   and   her  lover  long 


365 

enough  to  grow  pink  to  the  tips  of  her  ears,  and 
then  dove  back  into  Miss  Pritchard's  tailor-made 
lap. 

"  You  see,  I  can  be  double-faced  too  when  I 
try,"  said  Eunice  triumphantly.  "  Mr.  Champion, 

you"- 

"  Miss  Pritchard,"  interrupted  the  young  man 
gravely,  "  if  you  don't  know  it,  I  will  inform  you 
that  it  is  highly  improper  to  let  a  fellow  embrace 
you  as  I  am  doing  now,  unless  you  know  him  well 
enough  to  call  him  by  his  first  name." 

"  Oh,  are  you  embracing  her,  Howard  ?  "  asked 
Edwina  plaintively,  eagerly  lifting  her  face,  open- 
lipped,  to  gaze  at  this  phenomenon,  and  so  encour- 
aged by  it  that  thereafter  she  sat  up,  the  two  she 
loved  best  looking  down  at  her.  "  Cousin  Eunice, 
you  always  did  like  Howard  from  the  first,  didn't 
you  ?  "  appealingly.  "  And  you  know  he  is  n't  a 
monster,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  You  'd  better  live  with  us  the  first  year,  any- 
way, to  watch  me,"  said  Champion.  "  You  want 
to  be  certain  that  I  don't  drag  Edwina  around  by 
the  hair." 

Miss  Pritchard  smiled.  "  We  '11  leave  it  that 
if  you  do,  I  will  live  with  you  the  second  year." 
She  took  one  of  Edwina's  hands  and  placed  it  in 
Champion's,  then  kept  the  other  herself. 

The  ship  slipped  quietly  through  the  opal  water. 
Tints  of  rose  and  pale  blue  shone  in  the  sky  above 
and  the  sea  below.  The  three  looked  at  each  other 
in  hushed  content.  Eunice,  as  she  met  her  child's 


366       MISS  PRITCHARD'S   WEDDING   TRIP 

eyes,  thought  of  her  youth,  of  the  man  whose  mem- 
ory she  still  loved,  and  it  came  to  her  that  this 
joy  of  Edwina's  was  something  he  would  have 
been  glad  of,  perhaps  was  glad  of  now. 

"  Children,"  she  said,  with  soft  earnestness,  "  I 
want  you  to  know  that  I  am  happy  in  this  for  my- 
self as  well  as  for  you.  I  was  more  selfish  than  I 
knew  with  my  one  chick.  I  hope  we  shall  all  three 
grow  broader  and  better,  and  do  an  ever-increasing 
good  in  the  world."  She  lifted  her  delicate  face 
to  Champion  and  kissed  him,  a  salute  which  he 
met  and  returned  with  fervor ;  then  she  leaned  to 
Edwina,  whose  eyes  were  radiant,  and  pressed  lov- 
ing lips  to  hers. 

"  Thank  God  for  this  ending  to  my  wedding 
trip !  "  she  said. 


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